The Links of Time
by Kit-Karamak
Summary: THANK you for the overwhelming support! I've had more PMs than I can count after only a few days. Feedback and Flamers welcome - I reply to reviews! Chapter 6, is a BOSS BATTLE by request. Feel free to rip this story apart. I'm a big boy, I can take the heat. This book is: Fantasy, Sci-Fi...has time travel, combat scenes, feels and ice cream. Yes, seriously. Ice Cream like a boss.
1. Prologue & Link To The Future

The Legend of Zelda:  
The Links of Time

**Prologue**

_Spectacle Rock, Dark World  
1675 A.D. (**A**fter **D**eluge)_ …

**Link dropped to his hands** and knees. The Master Sword clattered on the granite a foot away. In the distance, a man fell to his back, panting.

The man, his face contorted by the dark power of black magic, gazed over at the boy with a cold stare. "I killed your family," he bellowed in a breathless tone. "I killed your family, Arn and Medilia. I imprisoned Queen Seline of Catalia."

Link looked over at him with a smirk. Sweat dripped from the boy's face. He sat up then rubbed a light smear of blood from a scrape on his elbow. "And now they're avenged. Go ahead, old man – gloat with your dying breath. It's all you know how to do."

"I, Mandrag Ganon, _will_ outlive the legends about me. I've conquered Hyrule, Holodrum, Labrynna and more. I sent Skyloft crashing into the ocean, which created a tsunami that devastated and flooded Hyrule for ages. And when they said the gods flooded the land with rain, they had no idea _that_ was also my doing. I _drowned _that miserable kingdom. I am beyond your comprehension. I have summoned the soul of Ghiranim when I was still mortal, when I was still prancing about this miserable little world as Ganondorf Dragmire."

Link afforded Ganon with another tired smirk. "And now look at you, laid out flat on your backside, an arrow jutting from your chest. Brag all you want."

Ganon reached up and pulled a heavy silver arrow from his torso. It clattered on the rock surface. "And you, boy, in your little red tunic, parading about, and waving your little white sword with the little blue handle. Do you know how many times you've tried to stop me? How many…_versions_ of you? Do you _know _how many of your ancestors have tried to stop me? How many times you've _tried_ to kill me off 'for good' since even before the Great Flood? Yes, that's right… This all began long before the Deluge happened. And it will continue right down the line of your descendants. I will never truly be gone forever."

Link rose to his feet, picked up his sword and rubbed his forehead with the backside of his other hand. "You speak bold words for a man who looks like a pig and just had his insides brought to the light of day. For a man nearly cleft in twain. You speak bold words for a man imprisoned here in the sacred realm. A man who cannot lead his own battle in the light world, so he has mindless creatures doing it for him… I've broken your spine with that final blow. All you can do is talk and flail your arms, now."

Ganon panted softly, lying on his side. "Aye. You've severed my spine. I cannot feel my legs. My back is broken. But I will heal. I made my wish on the Triforce when I came here so long ago, a thousand years before the Great Flood. And do you know what I've done with all this time? I learned about the world _before_ Hylians, before _Hylia_."

Link sneered. "Before Hylia, there was Din, Nayru and Fa-…"

"The three Goddesses were not what you think, fool!" Ganon eased up onto an elbow, unable to feel anything below the waist. "The mythology wasn't completely wrong, but all the details _are _wrong."

"You have such hubris on your death bed. I pity you." Link approached him and nudged him with his boot.

Ganon reached up and touched Link's power glove. "Have you ever wondered where this technology came from? A cloak that makes you invisible? The Staff of Byrna, that makes you invulnerable to attack; a pendant that allows you to freeze or explode everything around you. These…Power Gloves that allow you to pick up heavy objects with ease…"

Link jerked his hand back and glared at the dying man. "They were invented by the ancients, everyone knows that."

Ganon dropped onto his back again. He knew his time was nearly over. "There's a reason I've healed and returned, again and again. I possess technology invented by the ancients. In time, I will be whole again. And you, or most likely your descendant, will come for me all over again. It's a never-ending cycle, boy. But do you know what's different?"

Link offered no retort. He simply leered at his long-time nemesis.

A devious, yet pain-filled smirk tugged at the corner of Ganon's pig-like maw. "Link, my boy…I found a collection of information on the old world. It took place long, long before the Great Deluge. There was a catastrophic event called a 'World War.' So great, it made the Great Cataclysm seem tame. It was a war so great that it was the war that ended the world of the Ancient Ones. A war where people fought and bickered with one another, and in the end, killed each other in numbers unfathomable to even the most colorful of imaginations. Entire groups of people were killed – world wide genocide.

"All their life-saving technology, and it couldn't save them from themselves," Ganon continued. "Instead, their technology enabled them. And it will enable me. I will heal, and you will sleep for eternity in a bubble designed by these long-dead scientists."

"You talk too much."

"You don't speak enough," snapped Ganon. "You _never_ asked for help. You and those before you…always seem to fight me alone. That is your downfall, boy. I may be trapped here in this realm for now, but I am immortal. And I am patient. And one day, when the time is ready and the veil between worlds becomes thinner… I will cross over and claim it. But you and your ilk will not be there to stop me."

"Of course we will. We'll always be there to stop you. Whether it is me, or my future son, we will always be there to stop you."

Ganon smirked and withdrew a strange gray metal box from his robe. It had a faded look, with lettering along the side that Link did not recognize. "You see this, boy? See these letters? This is the writing of the ancients. They lived before Hylians. Their ears were not pointed. Their civilization was so immense that they had hundreds upon hundreds of variants of language. These letters are all that's left of them."

Link tightened his grip on his sword. "What does it do? Drop the box, _now_."

"Oh, Link, let me answer your question. It does…this." He thumbed square buttons set into the top of the box. Faded, dirt-encrusted circles illuminated the top of the box.

A forcefield surrounded Link. He cried out in surprise. His sword couldn't penetrate the energy field.

The bubble lifted him high above the granite surface where they had battled. He could see streaks of gold laced throughout the flat surface where the portal caused the granite of the light world to intermingle with the gold of the sacred realm.

Ganon eased up onto an elbow again and offered a devious smile. "With you in stasis and that sword missing along with you… you cannot harm me. And you cannot procreate, so your progeny will never be born. I've won, Link. It is over. And all the creatures will come together. Creatures that were created by the evil air made by the Final Great War of the ancients…mutated into freaks like me…these creatures call me their leader. We will work together to destroy the Light World dimension, and show your realm one final catastrophic war to end all wars.

"No!"

"You see, Link, I have unearthed the greatest weapon of the ancients. It will destroy everything. A single blast will wipe Hyrule off the map. And the creatures of the nearby lands will turn into sickly freaks that look as twisted as me."

"You are _insane_!"

"This weapon…you can't even begin to understand its destructive capability. That is _true_ power, not created by me, or by this Dark World…but by the ancients that came before Din, Farore, and the other so-called gods and goddesses. In fact, they were not gods at all."

"And now you speak sacrilege?! You will be doomed for your heresy alone!"

Ganon replied with a hoarse laugh. "Din was never the goddess of fire, you ignorant child! 'She' was a _bomb_ that wiped a section of the world clean, then performed something technologically magical beyond all our comprehension. Her task was something called 'terraforming.' These gods created our world from a husk…that much is true. But it was never a being. It was simply the name given to technology by the ancients who created it."

Link sheathed his sword and balled up his fists. "Do whatever you will. You will be stopped. Zelda is just as capable as I am, and wields magic that…"

"WRONG, Link! _I_ am the one who found the secret information left behind by the ancient ones! Can you begin to understand what a 'nano-robot' is? The seemingly-magical ability they could grant their user?! No! The reason I've wanted to capture Zelda and her descendants is simple. The technology to operate the final weapon, which I have recently unearthed, is controlled by something found in her blood, passed on to the Royal Family females – mechanical beings smaller than our eye can see. These beings are passed down in her bloodline, and are bound to her. And they grant her technologically assisted abilities that seem magical in nature. And it is these beings, smaller than the Minish People, that grants her the ability to activate this weapon. And _that _is why I search her out and seek to imprison her generation after generation! But it wasn't until now that I understood _just_ how important her role is in my plan to end your world."

"She is hidden away from you, Ganon. You'll _never_ find her in the Light World!"

Ganon's second wind began to fade. His voice grew husky again. "Just because I cannot find her does not mean I won't find her in the future. With you out of the way… it's only a matter of time." He thumbed the buttons on the metallic unit, mashing down the crusty keys, brittle from age.

A holographic emitter built into the front of the controller displayed a warning message, which hovered above the unit. It displayed lettering that neither man understood. "Mm, the technology of the Ancient Ones never ceases to amaze me."

"My father's brother will avenge…" The field incandesced with energy. Link exclaimed with a cry of worry then disappeared all together.

Ganon chortled, speaking to nobody in particular. "Smith?! Ha. Your father's uncle will die old and alone, just as the ancestor of Smith died, weary and fat in a dark hallway. Yes, I remember; it happened when first I was revived by Agahnim before the Great Flood. I've learned that history, much like a river, tends to repeat itself like a cycle of rain. It's only a matter of time before Hyrule drowns in sorrow again. You'll see." Ganon rolled over and began to pull himself along the ground, grimacing from pain. "With you in stasis, boy, you cannot die but you also cannot be brought back to life. You will simply cease to exist until I deem necessary. And now to find the deepest, darkest pit and throw you into it forever."

X

Chapter -1-  
_A Link to the Future_

_Spectacle Rock Observatory_

_Daruna (Autumn) 1, 2050 A.D. (**A**fter **D**eluge)_

**There was a hiss**. Everything felt…weird. There was mind numbing cold, but muffled like holding a snowball through a wet mitten. The darkness faded into light and the world slid into focus. A dome of glass eased open on a metal track. It opened more than half way then became stuck with a soft grunt of metal against metal. The glass bent, rather than broke.

He swallowed then winced from the dryness. He felt something brush his lips. The object, whatever it was, was held by another person. He felt wetness against his lips and his instincts took hold.

Link brought his hands up, captured a cup that was held against his mouth and tilted his head back. The water tasted fresh, delicious, as though having just come from a cool spring.

"Slow down, don't drown yourself, young man." The voice belonged to someone else, but it wasn't his native language. No…it was a language he'd learned from one of Princess Zelda's tutors…a language he'd learned later in his life. He recognized and understood it, but it took a moment before his foggy mind concluded its origin.

"Easy now. There's more water; no need to guzzle it like that."

The language of the ancient Hylians. Link finished the glass then blinked a few times to help moisten his eyes, dry from disuse. He cleared his throat but said nothing.

"You're the first being to ever awaken from suspended animation. Seems this stasis chamber was programmed to do it the right way. Might have been the nutrient bath solution that was used to keep you whole. It had some sort of bio-organic anti-freeze properties that preserved your tissue, and more importantly, your brain."

Link afforded the man with a look of confusion, not able to comprehend the terminology.

"Congratulations on being the first man to ever survive being frozen at two hundred degrees below zero, Celsius."

Link spoke but his voice sounded gruff and weary. "What is Celsius?"

"Oh! Well that dates you to…at _least_ the Middle Ages. And thank Hylia that you speak our language. We had a translator here just in case. Anyways, I guess you should know that the year is twenty-fifty A.D. After Deluge, of course – what year was it when you were put into stasis. Are you… Are you from before the Great Flood?"

Another voice in the background chimed in, sounding irritated. "Bagu, look at his clothing and gear. I _told_ you he's from the Middle Ages. That's plain to see."

Link pursed his lips together then cleared his throat again. "The last year I remember was 1675. I…know nothing of this pod that has apparently kept me whole after all these years. I would have thought I'd traveled back in time, though. Not forward. The language you speak… it hasn't been used since centuries _before_ the Great Flood of Hyrule. You'll have to speak slowly. I only learned enough to get by, and to read ancient signs and to read the maps of the underworld dungeons."

"You speak it quite well," said Bagu.

"I can hear meaning in thoughts. Some of the wisemen and some of the members of the Royal Family can speak to me this way. Having the ability allows me to understand what people say to me. Understanding helps me speak back what is said to me."

Bagu paused then looked back at his female assistant. "Telepathic? Have you ever heard of such a thing documented?"

"Yeah right," she sneered. "Well, I'll give you one thing…he _does_ look like that historian kid whose book you bought. LJ Kasuto, right?"

"Yes." Bagu turned back to Link and asked, "What's your name, young man?"

"Link of Calatia. Son of Arn and Medilia."

"A very popular name for males in the Middle Ages. Still is, really. In fact, I knew a Link in college." Bagu helped Link out from the aged stasis chamber. "Remarkable that the ancient ones made this with its own sustainable power. It's lasted since before recorded time that we know of. Oh, and look at this! You have the Triforce on your left hand! Now _that_ is most fascinating."

Link frowned. "The Triforce… I've come to learn something before I was placed in my long sleep… The Triforce was not an object of the gods, but rather, it was technology of the ancient ones."

The woman snorted. "I could have told you that. But Bagu, here, is all about religion. He's here to prove it's true by means of science." She approached Link and offered her hand to him. "Ruto. Doctor Ruto Rauru."

Bagu frowned and offered Link a nod. "Bagu Tantari, like the desert, PhD."

"PhD?" asked Link. "I'm unfamiliar with that title.

Ruto grinned. "It means he's considered a scholar by his peers. Things must be very confusing for you right now. I'll make it simple. There was a war about a hundred and fifty years ago. One of technology, that rivals what most people think of when you consider the Great Cataclysm – the splitting of the Triforce, a thousand years before the Great Flood."

"Sounds horrible."

"After our war, with libraries burned to the ground and our civilization on the brink of extinction, archeologists uncovered antediluvian tomes that gave us information on everything from how to read and write, all the way to how to create modern technology. We're not sure how old it is, but it was written in one of many languages used by the ancients. And we learned how to build computers, weapons that are designed to keep peace, and…" she trailed off and frowned empathetically. "Mm, I'm sorry if I'm rushing along, Link. Things must be much different than what you're used to."

"I'll adapt. Please, continue."

"Well…some countries have adapted a handful of languages used by the Ancient Ones. But what we're speaking right now is the most popularly accepted language around the globe."

"Ah." Link licked his lips. "I… To me, this language is considered 'Old Hylian.' It hasn't been spoken for over a thousand years _before_ the Great Flood. How did you come to learn it?"

"It was included in some of the tomes that were unearthed about a hundred and forty years ago, a decade after our grand war. We were just starting to rebuild and were eager to follow an instruction manual, something provided by the tomes unearthed by archeologists at the time." Ruto paused then suddenly changed topic. "What is the sword in your gear?"

"We called it the Master Sword."

Bagu's eyes widened. He turned to Dr. Rauru and whispered, "If he is who he is suggesting…this discovery will make both our careers."

Ruto rubbed her chin then asked, "Link, what was your mission with that sword?"

"Did you also see the arrows crafted of silver? With the sword and the arrows, I fought Ganon. I'm a little out of it right now but…I have to admit, I'm glad I didn't wake up to find that he's taken over the world. I assume you defeated him for good, a hundred and fifty years ago?"

Ruto shook her head and ran her hands back through her hair. "Sweetheart, Ganon is a myth. Supposedly banished to the Dark World of Gold forever ago. There's no real proof he existed, other than seeing his name on old texts unearthed by archeologists in the last fifty years or so. Sorry, I just don't believe in the so-called devil."

"I never said Ganon was the devil. But I can see how some would come to that conclusion. But I assure you he existed. Let us hope he doesn't, anymore."

"Until I see proof or meet him in person, I don't believe Ganon existed. I think he was a fairytale metaphor to scare kids from misbehaving."

Bagu laughed softly, delight in his tone. "Yes, but nobody thought Link The Hero existed either. And here he is. And this may very well prove that my beliefs are founded after all! And telepathic to boot? What number am I thinking of Link?" Bagu grew quiet and thought of the word in his mind.

"I…um…I don't have a deep connection to you, so it's not easy to directly connect to you but…thirty-seven?"

"Dear God. It's real," Bagu whispered. "You really are Link, The Great Hero of the People."

Link frowned in a somewhat bashful way. "I…so if your people consider Ganon as an ancient myth…what was the base of your war a century-and-a-half ago?"

"Greed," said Dr. Rauru, folding her arms. "Greed, land, people having a difference of opinion. Things must have been simpler in your time. You perceived an evil, you unified against it, and you came together peacefully as a civilization. Must have been amazing. Well…either way – welcome to the Spectacle Rock observatory and research facility at the edge of Hyrule, Link."

"Do…you still have a monarch?"

"Yes," Bagu cut in. "King of Hyrule, Gustaf the Eighth, Queen Tetra, and their daughter, Zelda Daltus Princess of Hyrule, are the monarchs of this province. But unlike your time, we now have a parliamentary group that helps as a congressionalist format for legislative purposes. We call the group the Hyrule Diet. It may be a strange name for you, but that is what we call our elected lawmakers."

"I see. What of this gentleman that you said looks like me in appearance?"

"Link Josiah Kasuto. He goes by the name LJ. He isn't he right now; he's obtaining his security clearance from the city. Gustaf the Eighth and Zelda Daltus, Princess of Hyrule, are on their way here. People, like LJ, need to be vetted by a government investigative agency. When it's determined that they pass a background check, they are allowed in the presence of the Royal Family. The young man is a pseudo-historian on technology of the ancients, although he _does_ have a legitimate degree in history of the Middle Ages – a period that is largely misunderstood due to how little information survived the war we told you about."

"Ah. Does…he have a mark on his hand?"

Bagu rubbed his chin then shrugged. "I'm not sure. I've never met him. I own his book, but…that's all."

"I see. What will I do until your guests arrive?"

"You'll relax, Link. I'll have Ruto give you a tour of the facility. I have some phone calls to make and some colleagues to…"

"He wants to brag to his peers," Dr. Rauru said with a smirk. "Come with me, Link. You must be feeling rather achy at this point. I think moving around will be good for your body. Walk with me."

X

* * *

X

**A/N**: _Howdy, and welcome to my latest fanfiction. I've decided to write this story on-and-off as a way to take a breather from my original story series. I'm in the middle of re-writing the first trilogy for the third time, and I need to re-write the second act into trilogy format soon. Over all, I'm eight stories deep into this monster… and it can get VERY overwhelming. _

_So, to keep writing (which I enjoy) but to keep from getting fried out, I wanted to dabble with something Sci-Fa (Science-Fiction / Fantasy). _

_Zelda seemed like a good idea after being asked by people on FaceBook to write something dark and deep for the Zelda Franchise. _

_Anyway, if you want to read the drafts of my original work, go to FanFictionNet's sister site, FictionPress dot Com. It's the same pen-name, "Kit-Karamak" with a hyphen. You can even use your FanFictionNet account to sign in on FictionPressCom and leave reviews and all that jazz._

_Okay, so yeah… I typically write more cliffhangers to keep the excitement level higher, but… this is the prologue. No sense in having Link wake up to the world exploding. Why would scientists even concern themselves with archeological digs if the world were blowing up all around, right? Instead, I wanted to create a sense of calm and serenity. Have Link relax and feel like everything is okay. _

_The world can go 'splodies soon enough. Just wanna introduce some themes and some characters first. As you may have noticed, I chose names and last names based on towns in Zelda2, and from other characters in the Zelda franchises. I've introduced themes of "science vs religion," and "fantasy vs technology" and "hero cycle" and "existentialism vs fate," where Bagu believes that God, or possibly that the goddesses micromanage the lives of the Hylians, because they have a plan for everything. _

_Conversely, Ruto wants to prove him wrong. _

_And, finally, I have to say that deus ex machine is, sometimes, overused in literature. So instead of having the "underwhelming character with the unimportant plot device that saves the universe," bit… I decided to give Ganon nukes. All he has to do is capture Zelda…AGAIN…to arm them. Shouldn't be too hard, right? Then he just has to figure out how the bio-interface works. And arm them. And run the other direction._

But he's sealed in the Sacred Realm, and doesn't have Zelda's Bio-imprint to activate it, just yet.

_But this should explain why Zelda is so important, right? I mean… the series is SUPPOSED to be "The LEGEND…Of…ZELDA" But you never hear much about her being all that important._

_Oh, sure, you gotta rescue her. But why is the legend about Zelda? So in this story… Zelda gets LEGIT serious importance to make the title feel like it's more than a joke. And Zelda gets to be the key to everything, as the name of the franchise implies. yAy _

_I've already introduced one of the main characters. The other, of course, is LJ, the male descendant of Link's Uncle, who did, in fact, find love, have children… and lay low, HA Ganon! That'll teach you to make assumptions about Link's uncle being a loser bachelor! _

_ALSO! I think I'm going to have Zelda take a more proactive role in this story. In OoT, she gets an alterego (as also seen in Super Smash Brothers melee), and fights hard. So it seems to me that in this day and age of female protagonists, it would be more fun to show her kicking asses while chewing bubblegum. Don't worry, she's not going to be a Mary Sue character. If pricked, she'll bleed. And I'll give her emotions. Just because she's a rich monarch doesn't mean she can't have her feelings hurt, or have her heart yearn for something, right? I try to make my characters realistic as best I'm able. Anyways. _

_OKAY… Chapter 2 and 3 are already finished. I'll post all three updates today because today is the day that WindWakerHD is available for Wii-U for digital download. Enjoy! _

_AND REMEMBER, I haven't "gone out of my way to ignore canon." We're just far enough in the future that modern scholars don't know what's real and what's lore anymore. Every character has his or her own theories as to what they think they know about the history of the world. Nobody really knows for sure; I'm NOT trying to CHANGE anything… I promise. :D_

_-K_

_PS: You can also look me up on FB. FacebookDOTcomFWDSLASHkitkaramak _

_Thanks! _


	2. Links of Link

Chapter -2-  
_The Many Links of Link_

_Daruna 2, 2050 A.D.  
S.R.O.L (Spectacle Rock Observatory and Laboratories_.)

**A young man** in his early-twenties, stood at a window, overlooking the land. He adjusted his green tie in the faint reflection then focused his eyes on the horizon, where the world curved.

He turned back from the observatory window and approached the security guard at the desk. "How much longer do you think I'll have to wait, sir?"

The guard reached up and put his hand on a square panel on the desk and closed his eyes. He paused briefly then drew his hand back from the panel and said, "They'll be ready soon. There has been a complication and they wish for me to stay at my post with you. You'll to wait here in the observation lounge. What was your name again, son?"

"Link Josiah Kasuto. Most everyone calls me LJ."

"Ever been to see the original Kasuto ruins? The people just up and moved to a secret town one day."

"Uh, yes sir." LJ fidgeted. "I interned for a college class there. I _am_ in the right place, right? Dr. Bagu Tantari, PhD told me to meet him here and to be prompt." LJ turned back towards the large observation window.

"Yes, you're in the right place, Mr. Kasuto. They've had a bit of a complication."

"Should I reschedule?"

"No, they asked me to keep you here. I didn't want to alarm you, but the compound is locked down."

"Excuse me?" LJ turned to the security desk and put his hands on the counter, leaning over the man sitting in the chair. "What happened?"

"We're asking that you stay in the lobby for your safety. Please, don't be concerned, young man."

LJ ran his hands up through his blond locks then rubbed his forehead for a moment. "With all due respect, this is a science research facility. I was just standing in the window. It's beautiful outside; so clear you can see the ruins of the North Palace. I don't see anything wrong."

"Sir, please understand I'm just following orders."

"Did thieves break in or something, because it sure isn't anything I can see out the window."

The guard leaned back in his chair and sighed. "Kid, I saw your security clearance come through the office this morning. So I know you've been vetted by the security minister of Hyrule. Look, King Gustaf the Eighth and Zelda Daltus, crowed Princess of Hyrule, are trapped inside of a SCIF with two scientists and some other guy. They have no weapons, but that SCIF is safer than a panic room. It's impenetrable. We sent security guards but they…" he trailed off and offered LJ a reassuring smile, albeit not a convincing one due to the worry in his eyes. He licked his lips and added, "...haven't checked in."

"What's going on? You were sitting here trying to make small talk a minute ago…how about we cut to the chase instead? Who are the attackers?"

"You wouldn't believe it if I told you. So I just need you to have a seat and relax."

LJ eyed him for a moment then shook his head. "We're in this together. We're both apparently trapped here together. So how about we try working together. Just tell me what's going on…please?"

The guard stared at LJ for a moment then looked down at his security monitor. He reached to the left side of the O-LED panel and slid his finger across the bezel. A holographic emitter built into the top of the monitor began to glow.

After a few seconds a holographic display came to life above the security desk. It started as bluish-green at first but, slowly, other colors seeped into the image until showing what looked like a laboratory being ripped to shreds by strange looking creatures.

The image distorted briefly with jagged polygons jutting out on the sides of the image. It re-rezzed and the resolution cleared up. LJ leaned in close, studying the image. "Those aren't thieves."

"I don't even know what they are. I've never seen anything like that."

"I have." LJ smoothed his green tie down then said, "LD-300, LD-006 and LD-009. They're robots made by The Ancients. They're probably four thousand years old, maybe even five thousand. I've only seen the LD-301 in person, in a museum, and that didn't function anymore. I recognize these models because the molds that were used to make them were unearthed a few years ago. I read an article on them where they had an illustration depicting what they'd look like."

"I see. Archeological stuff your hobby, kid?"

LJ ignored the question. "And look at how they're acting. They're not tearing up the lab at random."

"They're… not?"

"No. Watch them carefully. See how that one just tore off the top of that workbench on the east wall? Now he's leaning down into it. Now, see how he's moving on like it's some sort of grid? They're searching for something. How are those things even running? There's no way they could hold power in their cells after four or five thousand years."

"Son, if you're an expert, what do you suggest we do? We need to deactivate them because they have members of the Royal Family trapped down there in the side office."

"Doctor Bagu Tantari, PhD.?"

"Yes, he's one of the scientists trapped in the SCIF."

"Figures. He's the one who summoned me and asked me to be prompt today. Look, call for reinforcements. Tell them to bring something called an EMP device. It'll take'em down. You'll have to find a manual release for the blast door on that office, though. Nothing will have power after we use an EMP."

"Can't," said the guard. "The first thing Dr. Ruto said when she called up here was that we cannot use an EMP, because the information on the servers is irreplaceable. We have royal soldiers coming from the city but it'll be thirty minutes before the tac-team can arrive."

"All we can do is wait, then." LJ froze. His eyes widened. "Wait, look at'em now! They're going after the blast door leading to the office."

"Oh my Goddesses. They dispatched the standard security team, my coworkers, in just minutes. And they killed the Royal Guard that accompanied the King and Princess. If those things get into that blast door…"

"We're not going to let that happen," said LJ.

"What can _we_ do?! Guns didn't do enough damage to stop them!"

"I need you to stay here, feeding me information because you can see the security feed. I'll need a radio, though."

The guard opened the top drawer of his desk and pulled a radio and earpiece from the drawer. "We usually use the 'thought panels' to communicate, but we _do_ have _these_ incase of emergencies." He plugged the earpiece into the side of the radio and turned it on then checked it with the base unit.

"Great. Where's the armory?"

"Armory? Son, this is a research facility, not the castle guard quarters." He paused then sighed. "There will be weapons available on the floor in the hallway outside of the lab. The robots disregarded equipment used by our security team."

"Fine. We can't just let those things break into that office, not with the royal guard thirty minutes out. There's no time. At the very least, maybe I can draw them off that office and buy those people some time."

"That, uh…sounds like a plan, young man. If you can see security cameras, I'll be able to see you, and then I can watch your back. If you go where you can't see a camera, I can't help you if something sneaks up on you."

"Noted. How do I get there?"

"Elevators are locked down. Go down the stairs, three stories down, then I'll unlock the door from here. You'll see the hallway. Just…follow the bodies."

"Great." LJ took a deep breath then sighed. "Just what I wanted to do today when I woke up. Get eviscerated by antediluvian robots." He took another deep breath then snatched the radio off the counter and headed for the stairs. LJ rubbed his thumb against the earpiece. It smelled like rubbing alcohol. He stuffed it into his ear then clipped the radio to the waistline of his dress pants. "Good goddess this is going to suck," he muttered.

LJ descended the stairs down three stories then pushed on the door. Locked. He thumbed the earpiece and said, "Okay. Let's be incredibly brave and stupid all at once."

"May the Triforce of Courage be with you, son."

"Sir, no offense, but that stuff is just a myth. Let's hope the princess will praise my testicular mettle. I hear if you're awarded the Citizen's Medal of Valor, you don't have to pay taxes anymore. Maybe that's why they're usually awarded posthumously." LJ silently berated himself for rambling. "Don't mind me, I don't know how to handle anxiety. I get sarcastic and sometimes I rant. Okay, let's do this. I have a postmortem medal to win."

"Let's, uh…let's hope it doesn't come to _that_," said the guard over the line. "I saw the whole fight, by the way. Those robot things didn't seem to move very fast. That's what I noticed about the initial attack. Maybe you can use that to your advantage, Mr. Kasuto. Just keep them occupied until the Royal Guard arrives."

"That's the plan. And just call me LJ. So…what's your name, officer?"

"Lance Corporal Reginald Grey. And just so you know, the royal guard they killed… he was no pushover. I knew him back when he was Quartermaster Sergeant. His armored vest will have the Royal Crest on the front and back. His name is Conductor Barker Parapa. He was one of the highest-ranking soldiers in the Royal Guard. He was awarded the Hylian Cross, the Hero's Medal of Hyrule and a bunch of other decorations. He was a really tough, smart guy."

"I started out feeling brave. Now I feel incredibly stupid," said LJ with a sigh. "My sister's name is Aryll Smith-Kasuto. If something happens to me, that's who you'll be talking to. Tell her I was awesome and fought like one of those heroes from those fantasy stories she likes so much. Okay…I see the bodies in the hallway. Ugh. Not pretty."

"Hold it together, young man."

"Yeah." LJ leaned down and picked up a gun. He pulled back on the slide, just like he'd seen on TV shows and in action movies. It offered more resistance than he expected. LJ drew the slide back just enough to see a round was chambered within.

He checked the magazine then pushed it back into the handle with a click. "This thing is a pea shooter. No wonder those robots weren't damaged. I may not know guns, but I _do_ know a thing or two about ancient tech. These bullets wouldn't even go through solid metal armor, let alone robots designed to mine through solid granite."

He switched the safety on, another thing he'd picked up from TV shows and action movies, and picked up a medical satchel next to one of the security guards. He rummaged through it for supplies then dumped the useless first aid kit on the floor. He up-righted the bag and stuffed the gun into it.

Shouldering the strap, LJ made his way into the next hallway. It was lined with a glass panel on the left. Recently unearthed artifacts adorned the hall like trophies behind the clear panel. He eyed them for a moment.

Over the radio, Lance Corporal Grey said, "No time for sight-seeing, son. They need your help."

"Reginald, mind if I call you Reginald? – I need you to relax, else you're going to make me feel even more anxious. Some of these artifacts were used as weapons in the days of warriors. These artifacts are some of the things I wrote about in my book. If I can figure out how to use them, they might help me."

He withdrew the gun from his satchel and used the handle to smack the glass panel but it didn't scratch. He pointed the gun at the display case, tilted his head, using his right shoulder and left hand to hold his ears. LJ pulled the trigger. The weapon discharged, cracking the panel. It took four more bullets to bring the glass panel down.

He thumbed the safety and put it back into his bag then withdrew a blue cane, a recently oiled sword, and a gauntlet with a speared attachment mounted on the wrist section.

LJ shoved the hookshot into his satchel, hooked the cane into the strap that went diagonally across his back, and unsheathed the sword. He lifted it up then frowned at its weight, more than he could properly handle. "This thing is no joke, but…if only Aryll could see me now." He continued down the hallway, leaving the sword's sheath on the floor near the display case.

He made a left at an intersection, following scratches on the wall that led to a room clearly marked "Research Lab Epsilon." The door continually attempted to slide closed on metal tracks but with part of the doorframe crooked, it couldn't seal itself.

Upon closer examination LJ could see that someone's head had been slammed into the wall, disfiguring the frame. Just as he suspected, a body lay on the laboratory flood, strewn across the tiles with its head smashed in.

He looked away and swallowed back trepidation. "Aryll's fantasy heroes wouldn't be afraid."

Reggie came over the radio. "And they wouldn't be ashamed of executing a well planned tactical retreat. Don't try fighting those things. Don't do anything stupid. We have a plan and you've got to stick to it. Plans keep heroes alive, kid."

"Yeah. I gotta get my, uh, testicular half in check. I don't have the emotional fortitude to handle dead bodies, man." He continued through the first lab and into another hallway labeled as "Beta Lab."

"You're doing great, LJ. Your sister is going to be really proud of her brother when his social media profile picture shows him with a sword next to the Princess of Hyrule."

"Yeah." LJ swallowed. "How can you hear me? I don't have the radio button pressed."

"I have audio and video feed to each of the labs. I can't hear into the SCIF, because that's locked down. It's meant for analysts to discuss things of confidential nature, so I can't talk to anyone inside there and they can't hear me. We used the Thought Panels to talk, earlier. That's how I know they're still alive in there."

LJ cleared his throat again. He couldn't think of a response so he decided to simply remain quiet. He continued through the hall, licked his dry lips with apprehension, then approached the last lab at the end. He lifted the heavy sword and used the back of his wrist to wipe sweat from his brow. "This thing is heavy," he whispered.

He stopped in front of the door and hopped up and down a few times to get himself psyched up. "Okay, Reginald, open the door to this lab and keep it open."

"Good luck, kid."

"Remember, her name is Aryll Smith-Kasuto. Just in case, y'know?" LJ took a deep breath. The door slid open with a hiss then locked into place in the wall. He withdrew the gun and stepped in the room.

One of the three aged robots turned away from the blast doors of the SCIF, across the lab, and began scanning him. He pointed the weapon and fired. Surprisingly, the bullet was fairly accurate, striking the robot an inch above its left eye.

The metallic head snapped back then sprung into place again. The copper jacket of the round remained on the metal panel of its forehead.

He pulled the trigger again but the gun clicked empty. "Used them all on the display case," he groused in a soft tone. The discouraged boy threw the gun at the group then brought his right hand to the sword handle, holding it firmly in both hands. He swallowed back his fear. "This is it. Now I just have to make them think I'm enough of a threat to chase me and abandon the blast door."

Without warning, the robot with the dent in its forehead suddenly zipped across the room in the blink of an eye. It blocked the door leading out into the hallway. "Holy Freaking Farore! Did you see how fast that guy is?!"

"Kid, he's got you blocked in!"

"Yeah, this is going to suck… I charged in here like a moron. Should have played it a little smarter. Guess if the goddesses are real, Nayru can point and laugh at me when I die."

"You're rambling, kid. Keep it together."

"If they're gonna kill me, I'm not going down without a fight." LJ looked over at the robot on his left by the door, then to the other two on his right. One kept working on the blast door, the other approached with a leisurely gait.

It lifted its arm and swung at LJ. He brought the sword up to block the strike. The power of the robot threw him off balance but he didn't drop his sword. Instead, he stumbled to the ground and rolled away from the robot. He swung the sword, clumsy and low, hitting the robot in the leg but didn't seem to faze it.

The robot backhanded LJ. He landed on a workbench counter at the center of the room. Already splintered by one of the robots from earlier, it gave out beneath his weight. One of the four table legs gave out. The whole damn thing shifted. He rolled off the side and his sword clattered across the tile floor several feet away.

His satchel turned over, spilling the hookshot on the floor and, with slack in the strap, the blue cane clanked on the floor as well. "Crap, crap, crap," he muttered and snatched up the cane. He reached for the hookshot, shoving his hand into the gauntlet section beneath it.

The robot in the middle of the room took a swing again. LJ instinctually lifted the blue cane. The metallic arm struck the cane then, quite suddenly, the robot went flying in the other direction, as though repelled by an unseen force.

"What did you do?!" Reggie cried over the radio, obviously excited and worried.

"I don't know!" LJ cried. He looked around, trying to compose himself. A faint distortion in the air flew about his body in a circle. "I…can you see that aura, Reginald? The faint thing flying around me?"

"No, I don't see anything around you. That robot is getting back up, kid!"

"I…I think I read about this. The cane of…Bah-reena, or Byran or…Byrna. Yeah, I think that's it – Byrna. Somehow it started doing…_some_thing when that thing hit it."

The robot approached again. LJ bit his lower lip. "So…maybe we can talk about this, mister robot. Do you speak my language?"

It didn't reply. Instead, the robot swung at him again. LJ cringed but its attack came nowhere near him. Instead, the barely-visible aura repelled the robot. It went tumbling back.

The ancient metal contraption looked down at its hand, confused, then tried again, swiping at him. It bounced off the unseen force of the Cane of Byrna.

LJ's confidence welled up in his chest. "It can't hurt me! That's what this cane does!" He walked over to his sword and picked it up. He slid the cane back into the strap of his satchel and hooked it into the strap so it would stay on his back. He turned to the robot then lifted his sword. "Come on, ugly. You're in trouble, now."

It swung once more, still unable to inflict damage. LJ swung his sword and hit the robot in the face. He dented the metal panel of its face. He then pointed the hookshot at the robot and triggered it. The mechanism had tremendous kickback.

The hook lanced through the creature's torso and out the back but also dislocated LJ's shoulder.

He cried out in agony, screaming every cussword he could think, repeating several when he ran out of words to use. The hookshot began to retract, pulling him again by the arm. The hook remained inside of the robot, which tried to resist being pulled. Again, LJ cried out.

His felt his arm jerked forward a second time, causing the ball joint to drop back into place in his shoulder. He gasped in relief then unleashed another barrage of curse words for the remaining pain.

"Are you okay, kid? It looks like you hurt your arm or something."

"Shoulder," he wheezed. LJ caught his breath, winced, and said, "I just…Goddess that hurt like hell."

The robot stumbled and began to topple forward. The hook came from its chest and retracted into the hookshot. The robot dropped onto his face, warbling about. "They did a good job of cleaning these artifacts, they still work great." He approached the robot, lifted the sword in his left hand then drove the blade down into the backside of its head, fueled by adrenaline.

The robot flailed about, rolled away from LJ, and got back to its feet. Over the radio, Reggie said, "It did NOT like what you just did to it while it was down. I hate to say it, but you need to knock it over again and try stabbing it again, just like you did before. That thing acted like a wounded animal trying to get away."

"I don't think my shoulder can handle using this thing again." LJ took off the gauntlet. He moved it to his other forearm, fidgeted with the handgrip then pointed it at the robot. With the sword in his left palm, the hookshot gauntlet on the backside of his left forearm, he gingerly brought his right hand over to steady his left wrist.

He opened his stance and fired the hookshot again. The pointed end penetrated the chest panel of the robot, same as before, then pulled it forward. There was a brief tug of war. LJ put his foot on the base of the workbench in the middle of the room. He tumbled over to his hands and knees. In unison, the robot toppled forth as well.

LJ got to his feet with a huff of indignation. The pointed claw disengaged from the metallic torso and recoiled hard, back to the hookshot.

LJ nearly lost his footing from the power of the chain's return. He lifted his sword in his left hand, keeping his right palm on his left wrist. He winced in pain, lifted the sword, then drove it back into the robot's skull a second time. This time, the sword went a little deeper.

Again, the robot flailed. The sword became disengaged. LJ stumbled away and the monstrosity got back to its feet. A wisp of smoke poured out of the damaged section on the aft panel of its head.

Something began to overheat inside the robot due to the damage. The metal case over its head began to glow orange from the heat. "By the goddesses, it's like a video game. I've hit him twice and he's glowing orange. I guess life really does imitate art sometimes." He took a deep breath then began panting. "And you know what else? My shoulder _really_ freaking hurts. Not as bad as when I first dislocated it, but still…_damn_ this hurts."

"You're doing really good, kid. I'm proud of you."

"Yeah." LJ spit a bit of red on the floor. "I think I bit my lip when I hurt my arm. I can taste blood." He grimaced at the salty metallic tasting liquid on his tongue and spit a second time. Then a third. "Okay. Let's finish this guy."

LJ fired the hookshot again. Just like before, he used his right hand, gingerly, to brace his left wrist. The hook lanced from his left forearm and plunged into the robot's chest. There was another struggle.

He stumbled. Not wanting to lose the opportunity to strike again, he ran around the broken workbench, where one of the table legs was still firmly fastened in the floor. The chain of the hookshot marred the wood leg with an obnoxious noise. He continued to run, using the chain as a pulley for leverage. The robot tumbled over but this time the hook remained inside its chest.

LJ released the gauntlet, it lurched away from his hand and retracted itself to the robot halfway, only to catch on part of the workbench. LJ ran towards the robot, lifted his sword in his left hand, and drove it into the backside of the metal head.

He climbed up onto the back of the creature then lifted his foot and stomped on the handle, driving it the rest of the way in until the blade poked through the face of the robot.

It flailed. LJ lost his footing and fell on his back. He immediately reached his left hand across to favor his right shoulder. The robot continued to heat up. The light gray smoke turned black. All at once it burst with a powerful explosion. Debris glanced across the cane's nearly invisible shield. Metal shards became lodged in the nearby walls.

The robot pounding on the blast door turned away and approached LJ. It was then that the boy noticed this other unit was significantly better armored. With his sword and the hookshot lodged in the remains of the other robot, he felt naked as it approached. "Aw g'dammit."

X

* * *

X

**A/N**: _And now, onto chapter 3. _

_But first, a word from nobody's sponsor. _

_...So yeah, I've been working on all original material for Sci-FA stories that can be found in draft format on FFnet's sister site, FictionPress dot com. Same pen name, Kit-Karamak with a hyphen. You can even use your FFnet account to sign into FictionPress dot Com, to leave reviews and stuff. Anyhow, I'm waist-deep into the series. I re-wrote act1 as a trilogy, I'm going to re-write it again with some touchups and additions, re-write Act2 as a trilogy, finish the Prequel (there's a lot I wanna change in what I've got already for that – like I want to add Rufus' sister, Peri, much earlier in the prequel, etc). I also want to finish act 3. But it's expensive (3.9 cents per word from a professional editor, with a 30% discount on text documents over 75k words), which brings book 1 of act 1 to a wonderful price of $2,500… and 88 cents. Ugh. SO! I need to do a kickstarter, and I need to finish the re-write before I submit it for editorial… and right now, having just written 8 books worth of material in under one year, plus the initial act1 re-write (which was a really big re-write, lots of new stuff added, etc)… I have to admit… I'm fried out. _

_I NEEDED A BREAK. I can't NOT write. I get cranky when I can't do what I love most… writing and playing drums. So! I decided to take a little break and do a Zelda FanFiction for fun. _

_I know I add a lot of Sci-fi elements to this story, and for those of you who are hardcore fantasy types… I am sorry. But it's a lot of fun for me to write Sci-FA._

Now, on to Chapter 3.


	3. Links of a Chain

Chapter -3-  
_Links of a Chain_

**A man's face peered out of a small tinted glass window in the blast door**. The window was no larger than the palm of the average person's hand. LJ could barely make out his facial features through the tinting film. The blast door began to lift with a soft metallic grunt.

The man, in a green tunic, crouched down and climbed out beneath it. The door slid shut again, then offered a pressurized hydraulic hiss, locking into place again. The man hurried towards the defeated robot, snatched the sword from the back of its head, put his foot up on the body frame, and launched himself forward into a somersault.

Impressively, he brought the sword down from above, striking the back of the second robot, facing LJ. It didn't seem to injure it, but managed to get the robot's attention. He turned about, wedged the sword beneath the defeated robot, then quickly pried it into rolling over. He grabbed the hookshot and shoved a hand into the gauntlet.

LJ stood there, eyes wide, looking at the man who looked eerily like himself but with longer hair. The man twirled the sword then lifted the hookshot and shot it into the ceiling.

He launched upwards by one arm, and swung forward. He used the sword in his other arm, struck the robot in its neck, and followed through the swing by kicking his legs forward. The hook retracted from the ceiling in mid swing. He tucked his legs, went into a half-flip and landed on his feet facing the robot.

He leapt at the robot, swinging the sword upwards as an extension of his arm like an uppercut. The head of the robot snapped back, but didn't seem to receive any damage.

LJ said, "The other guy had to be knocked down, then I could stick the sword into the back of its head."

"I saw, mister. You did good; I'll handle these other two then look at your arm."

"If you'd listen to me, I'm telling you how I beat the other one! Maybe you've gotta knock'em down in order to hurt'em!"

"Different model, mister." He turned to the robot in the doorway across the room, shot the hookshot at it then braced his arm with his other. He ran around the second robot the way LJ had earlier run around the workbench when fighting the first robot.

The third robot went flying out of the doorway and slammed into the second robot. They both fell to the ground, appearing fazed. The man drew his sword up then brought it down like an axe, striking both robots in their adjacent heads.

Next, he drew the sword out like a tennis player setting up for a swing, then pivoted hard. He spun about, striking both robots again. He spun a second time, striking them with the circular attack twice in a row.

The second robot started to get up. The man fired the hookshot again, at close range. He jumped up onto it's shoulders as it stood. He drove the sword through the back of its head so that it stuck through the front then used his weight to make it topple forward. It landed on top of the third robot. The sword went through the head of both robots and into the floor.

Slid off the robot's shoulders, got up onto its back, and, similar to how LJ finished the first bot, he used his boot to drive the sword another few inches. All the way to the hilt so that the parry rested against the metal shell that encased the robot's head.

Pinned to the floor and to one another, they flailed but couldn't get up. The man leaned down, picked up the empty gun by its barrel and struck a plate on the top robot's back, using the handle to claw the plate off the bot's back. He plunged the gun into the robot, hooked the handle around old tubes that looked like wire conduits. He jerked hard, using the pistol like a crowbar.

The tube of wires broke, ripping wires from where they were connected. Sparks flew from exposed, bundled wires touching one another.

The man dove towards LJ just as the second robot exploded, wiping out the third from the proximity of the two together. He passed through the field created from the cane of Byrna just in time to save himself from the shrapnel. It glanced off the field harmlessly.

Both men breathed a sigh of relief in unison. LJ offered his left hand and helped the other man to his feet.

The man moved to LJ's right and put his palms firmly on the aching shoulder. He felt around the joint then said, "You're okay. Most likely, you pulled...ah, what's the word…"

"I dislocated my shoulder. I got lucky and it went right back in place."

"Yes. You pulled your arm out of your shoulder. I've seen skeletons, so I'm familiar with how it works. You may be surprised to learn there is a…_ball joint_ – yes, that's the word – and it goes into a cup, which is your shoulder. It's very painful when it becomes seperated. I'm Link of Catalia." He reached for LJ's left hand and they shook.

"I'm also Link, popular name, huh? Link Josiah. Everyone calls me LJ. And, yeah, it's pretty standard freshman biology class information. I've never dislocated my shoulder before. It sucked."

"Sucked…? What?"

"Nothing. Nevermind. I'm cool now."

"Ah. I would like to check on the king and his daughter, then we can find you a coat or blanket."

"I..." LJ blinked. "Wait, what? A blanket?"

"You said you felt cool. I assume you said such because you are uncomfortable. It seems concern worthy if you feel cold considering the fact you are sweating."

LJ pulled the cane from the strap that went across his back to the satchel on his hip and handed it to Link. "You've seriously never heard the expression that something or someone is cool? It means good. I'm good. I'm fine. I'm cool."

Link took the cane and gently thumped the base on the ground. The light distortion of energy disappeared. "Forgive me. I've just awoken from a type of eternal sleep. I spoke a different language than this, I'm not familiar with your euphemisms and your slang."

"Wait… eternal sleep?"

"Yesterday, when I woke up, it was the year 1675. When I laid my head down on a cot last evening, it was 2050."

LJ rubbed his face. "Goddess-freaking-Din, can we just talk about how you look _exactly_ like me?"

Link tilted his head then walked over to the second and third robot. He put his foot on the remains and jerked the sword free of their heads. "I was born four hundred years before you. With all due respect, Mr. LJ, it is _you_ who looks like _me_." He looked around for the sword's sheath but didn't see it.

"If you're looking for the cover-thing, it's out in the hallway somewhere."

"Ah." Link walked back to the blast door and tapped the handle of the sword against the metal door. "It's all clear."

"They can't hear you through that thing. It's a blast door. It's insulated." LJ walked over to the small tinted window at the center of the blast door. He withdrew his personal communicator, thumbed the screen then activated a small white light on the end of it. He held it up in the small square window and waved it back and forth. "They'll see this."

A moment later, the door began to slide up, slowly. LJ unfolded his phone into a tablet, checked to see if he got reception in the lab then frowned. He folded the tablet up, due to the OLED screen being flexible; it became a phone again. He thumbed the screen, deactivated the camera flash that he used as a light, then slid the phone into his pocket.

"What was that strange object you were just using?"

"I'll explain it later…old man." LJ offered Link a sly grin. The door continued up above hip height. Both of them stiffened up and turned to the doorway expectantly. "It's safe to come out, everyone."

Link added, "We've defeated the threat, my liege. This gentleman, Link Josiah, managed to bring proper weapons. Before you come out of that safe-room, I would like the opportunity to patrol the immediate area to ensure there are no other threats."

LJ brought a finger to his ear then cleared his throat. "The security guard at his desk is telling me that the rest of the complex is all clear." He turned to Link, and in a softer tone, added, "The security station upstairs has a visual on every room and hallway in this area."

Link nodded in understanding. "Ah. You have a telepathic link to your friend, I gather."

"Wh…what? No. I have a radio in my ear that he gave me. Are you for real with this 'I'm from the distant past' routine?" In a sarcastic tone, LJ added, "Radio, man. Ray-dee-oh. It turns magic waves in the air into…"

"Gentlemen, please." Bagu stepped out of the room first. "LJ Kasuto, I read your book and it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Dr. Bagu Tantari, PhD. Welcome to SROL," he said, pronouncing the acronym as 'S. Roll.' "I'm heading up the archeological dig. Do you have your clearance paperwork?"

"I, uh…it's up with the guard, upstairs."

The king came out next and turned to LJ. He took the boy's hand and shook it firmly. "Young man, we all crowded around that tiny window and watched you fight those monstrosities by yourself. That was incredibly brave and…" The king trailed off and lifted LJ's left hand up for closer inspection. "By the light of Din's flame, you have the Triforce on your skin."

"Oh, uh, I'm…it's a birthmark, not a tattoo. People always ask if it's a tattoo, especially because it, uh, gets darker when I tan, and…" LJ abruptly drew quiet, swallowed back his nervousness, then said, "Sorry, Sire. The adrenaline is wearing off." He silently berated himself for rambling to the King of Hyrule.

"My boy, this is the birthmark of he whose spirit has been touched by the Triforce of Courage. It's no longer common knowledge, but it's something that any member of the Royal Family would recognize. It's rare. Perhaps one born every one hundred years or longer will have this mark naturally on his hand from birth. I'm honored to be in _your_ presence, lad."

LJ suddenly became aware that his heart was pounding in his chest. "My sister would faint. I…sorry, my little sister is at that impressionable age where she's obsessed with princes, princesses, and fantasy heroes. She even wears a tiara around the house."

The king smiled. "As a father, I can only assume your parents must be proud of you both. They've raised a fine, brave son, Mr. Kasuto."

"Oh, uh…" LJ felt the blood rush out of his face and swallowed. "Thank you, sir. Uhm. My father passed a long, long time ago. My mother died of cancer four years ago. I've been raising Aryll since I was a sophomore in college. She's thirteen this year. And you know how girls are at that age. Thirteen going on thirty. Takes herself too seriously, strides around the house all regal and proper…all that stuff."

A woman stepped out behind Gustaf and curtsied to Link and LJ.

"I certainly do understand," said the king with a fatherly smile. He put his hand on his daughter's shoulder and said, "Zelda Daltus, Princess of Hyrule."

She offered her hand to LJ and he took it with a brilliant blush. "I…"

Link leaned close and whispered into LJ's ear, "You kiss her knuckles and refer to her as, 'your highness,' and don't make her feel like you're uncomfortable around her, because she has emotions like any other woman."

LJ passed a lump in his throat, trying to swallow back his newfound social awkwardness. "F-forgive me. I've never made a fool of myself like this before, your highness." He leaned his head down, brushed his lips over her knuckles then offered a nervous smile. "LJ Kasuto. It's a pleasure to meet you. My sister is going to be telling all her friends at school for the next five years that I got to meet you today."

"Oh?" Zelda offered a brilliant smile and gave LJ's hand a gentle squeeze. "Thank you for coming when you did. I appreciate the both of you fighting those creatures. Oh, and Mr. Kasuto, we owe you our lives. Those robots were attempting to learn the computer encryption to bypass the door. All the monitors within the room were showing computer code language scrolling from bottom to top. Between brute force and computer communication, they would have eventually breached that door. How did you know you could do what an entire security team could not?"

"Yeah, uh…I heard the Royal Guardsmen was still too far out. I decided if I could somehow get these robotos to chase me, I'd be able to buy you guys time. I had no idea that one was going to block the door. I…you're really nice. I thought regal people were supposed to give off an air of great import. But you're really disarming."

Zelda glanced at her father with a knowing smile then looked back to LJ. "You will find that I am friendlier than people apparently expect from someone of clout or money. And we watched you fight. Your sister is lucky to have someone so capable of keeping her safe." She leaned in and looked at his shoulder then turned back to her father and asked, "May I?"

"Zelda…"

"Please, daddy. May I?"

"Very well. Let's not make this a habit. People won't understand."

"Thank you, daddy." She placed her palms on LJ's shoulder and closed her eyes. "Stay still, Mr. Kasuto." She took a deep breath and her heart began to race.

The pain seeped out of LJ's shoulder. He felt her palms grow warm. The sensation, akin to a hot towel, felt strange but the pain faded to a dull throb. After another moment it disappeared completely. He felt brief discomfort, like an itch on the inside of his skin that he couldn't scratch. That also faded.

Zelda sighed in relief, as though having just released a heavy object. Her eyes fluttered open. "Please, with all respect, I ask that you keep that moment between us. It's something I was born with, and we of the Royal Family like to keep our secrets close to our chest."

"I promise. Thank you." He rolled his shoulder a bit then shrugged firmly. "It doesn't hurt at all. I…that was incredible."

Zelda withdrew her hand from LJ and held her gloved hand aloft, palm up, and said, "May I see your camera phone, Mr. Kasuto?"

"I…uhm, yes ma'am." He reached into his pocket and pulled it free then passed it to her.

She thumbed the screen to life, located the camera application, and handed it to her father. She came between LJ and Link, put her arms around them and said, "Link, could you give Mr. Kasuto the sword to pose for this? It's for his sister."

"My pleasure." Link passed the sword to his doppelganger. "We could be twins, you know, mister."

"Just LJ, please. All of you. I appreciate the courtesy of the title, but…I'm just LJ."

Everyone drew quiet and smiled. The camera phone flashed, capturing a crisp, sharp photograph.

Zelda took the phone from her father, went back to the home screen, opened the phone application, and located Aryll's name at the very top of the contacts list then said, "I'm going to call her and tell her what a splendid gentleman and hero you were today." She looked at the reception icon then added, "If Dr. Rauru could accompany me upstairs to the lobby with the large windows? I don't know the halls and… if we could, is there a way to circumvent the hallway of the fallen security guards?"

Ruto nodded from where she stood in the doorway to the SCIF and said, "We'll return your phone to you – LJ was it?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Rauru nodded to him then motioned for Zelda to follow her through the SCIF office. They passed through and out of a door on the other side that went into Alpha lab. They left through a hallway leading out of Alpha, which took them to a nearby elevator.

Meanwhile, back in Beta lab, the king turned back to LJ and offered a firm handshake. "My daughter has a gift for how to handle herself with others. She delights the media, she charms the public, she relishes the chance to hold babies, and to shake hands with everyone she meets. People adore her. _I_ adore her. I don't know what I'd do if something happened to her. And, LJ, thank you for promising to keep her secret, lad. She's worried people will judge her. But she's always been very benevolent with her gift."

"Did it hurt her to use it?" LJ asked, returning the firm handshake, mindful not to squeeze tighter than the King's grip.

Gustaf relinquished the handshake. "As I understand, she takes your pain and makes it her own. Then her body uses the gift to heal itself. So, yes. For a moment, she'll feel what you felt. When you were injured, she gasped in worry. We couldn't hear you but she saw the expression on your face. She's very empathetic and she was able to feel the injury in your arm because she experiences sympathy pain on an empathic level. She made her mind up, then and there, that she wanted to heal you. Also, she didn't want to go through the hallway with the dead bodies because it upsets her that it's too late to heal them. She feels the need to try and help everyone she meets. She's on a personal mission to save the world one individual at a time."

LJ looked down at his feet. "That's pretty amazing. I consider myself a good judge of character, and I'm impressed. She's got a good heart. You've raised a fine daughter, your highness."

Gustaf smiled. "You see? We're people just like you, LJ. See how easy it is to warm up to us? If anything, _I_ am impressed that you ran in here, ready to give your life to try and help us."

"My pleasure, sir." LJ paused and looked over his shoulder. The sound of boots out in the hall marched closer. "The cavalry is here."

Gustaf gave Link and LJ's shoulders simultaneous pats. "The cavalry was here long before the guards showed up. You were resourceful enough to procure proper weapons before coming here. If you'll both excuse me, I have to tend to my fallen friend, Conductor Barker Parapa. He was my personal hand-to-hand Champion, and I've known him since before I was crowned King. He proposed to his now-wife at my coronation. He was the first man I knighted after taking the throne." Gustaf took a deep breath, his heart heavy, and walked out of the lab to greet his royal guards.

From there, he went with his entourage to find his fallen friend.

Bagu looked at Link and LJ and shook his head. "You two really _could_ be twins. It's uncanny. Link, your eyes are a crystal clear blue. LJ, yours are a little more cloudy grey, but even your eyes are close. If you both had your hair the same way, it would be hard for me to tell you two apart."

"We should do a DNA test," LJ said. He turned to Link and added, "It's something really small in your blood that holds information like what color hair you'll have, or if you'll have high cheekbones or not. It can also be used in determining if I'm somehow your descendant."

"I see. And did you say you have a sister? Will I get to meet her? Do you think she'll be able to tell us apart?"

LJ frowned thoughtfully. "Uh, yeah…no not yet. I'm very protective of my sister and I've only just met you, no offense."

"Non taken, my friend."

Bagu gave them both a pat on their shoulder, much the way the king had done moments earlier. "Pick up one of those robots, get them up on what's left of that workbench. I need to get something from the office." He headed into the SCIF.

Link and LJ worked together to heft one of the robots up onto the table. The model they chose still had the back plate on its torso.

Bagu returned and booted up the spectral analysis scanner he brought from the office. "See this, boys? This will tell us more about these things. They sat in disuse for a long time and should _not_ be able to power up."

The doctor carefully removed the panel and began rummaging through the torso. He used the scanner to show that current was still moving through the insides, but the color on the screen wasn't one he was used to seeing.

LJ recognized the look of confusion and asked, "What's wrong?"

"The body is still receiving power but it's not coming from the battery cells. There's a layer of calcification on the battery packs, layered with sediment from eons of being in and out of water, mud and then buried beneath Hyrule. Still, I followed the energy from the CPU throughout all the sections of the robot. The power isn't coming from the battery packs; they're useless."

Link whispered to LJ, "What's a CPU?"

"Central Processing Unit," said LJ, handing the sword to Link, just in case. "In modern computers, the CPU processes data like…it's basically the robot's brain. Then they'll have something where they store what commands they learn. In modern computers, that storage is called the 'hard drive.' Sometimes they store more than commands. If we're lucky, they will also store things they've seen. Then we can see if someone brought them back to functionality and programmed them…or if this was some sort of anomaly, which I highly doubt."

Bagu looked back from the inside of the machine to LJ. "You think someone tampered with them and programmed them to attack? Trust me, I restored two out of the three machines that attacked. They were not able to operate. There was a layer of calcification, and sedimentary layers that created a fossil record easily readable in strata. These robots had been flooded, buried, unearthed, re-flooded and re-buried. They sat at the bottom of the Great Ocean after Skyloft disappeared from the sky."

Link frowned. "Ganon told me, on his deathbed, that he caused Skyloft to crash into the ocean after a great rain in Hyrule. And that caused a huge wave, which finished off the entire valley. Skyloft is now at the bottom of the Great Ocean."

Bagu blinked. "Skyloft is at the bottom of the Great Ocean?"

"I'm afraid so. I tend to believe him; he had no reason to lie about it. He was bragging in his final moments. The robots are from there are they not? So how did Skyloft robots wind up below a dig site in Hyrule?"

Bagu said, "I always assumed a section of Skyloft fell from the sky and landed in this area. Just a section. With the robots and a few other artifacts. It's one of the only reasons we know about Skyloft to begin with. Because of what we've found right here in Hyrule."

"So how did the robots get _beneath_ Hyrule?"

"I assume Skyloft broke up during the fall. Apparently most of it is below the ocean; the thought of having all of Skyloft accessible…incredible. I will have a grid set up to sonar-scan the ocean floor. Needless to say, some of it broke up when it hit the ocean. Some of that would have sank to the bottom and became stuck in the mud with the rest of Hyrule. And in time, it would have been pushed down by water pressure. And when the water receded, new Hyrule was simply built atop of what we found there. To think we could find the rest of Skyloft, though… it's exciting to an archeologist like me." He suddenly looked up at LJ and Link with a look of confusion then leaned back down into the robot's torso. "What the devil…"

"What've you found?" asked LJ.

"Negative Energy. It's powered by Negative Energy."

"Say what?" LJ folded his arms. "What in the world is that?"

"The antithesis of matter is antimatter. And when they are brought together, they cause a chaotic reaction. We developed this prototype scanner because we wanted to measure the aura of energy around the fossils of faeries. It's what people called 'light magic' during their time. Well, these robots were powered by Negative Energy. Not negative the way you're thinking. Dark Energy. The antithesis of normal energy as we understand it."

"I'm having trouble believing that, Dr. Bagu."

"We only have theories. It's conjecture created by theoretical quantum physics scientists who understand things using math."

"So where is it coming from?"

"Nobody understands it, or how it works, but it would have to come from a parallel universe that is charged with the negative energy as the norm. It would be considered Black Magic in this universe, theoretically speaking. We think it exists, though, because we found an artifact called The Moon Pearl a few years ago. After a lot of study, we concluded that it was a quantum entanglement device that allows the user to retain entangled to the Light World…our universe…so that they could retain their normality when in that universe."

LJ eyed him for a moment. "You're more than an archeologist."

"Yes, you're right. My other degree is in theoretical and quantum level math. But I'm trying to use science to prove my religion is legitimate."

"What are you trying to suggest, then, Dr. Bagu?"

He looked from Link to LJ then back to the robot. "I think the Dark Energy that is powering this device, which is void of all normal energy, and thus possible to be powered by the Dark Energy…is somehow being channeled from the Dark Realm. The theoretical Golden Sacred Realm. I think it's coming from there."

Bagu reached in with a pair of tweezers and plucked a small object out and held it up to the scanner. "It's a miniature Moon Pearl. A quantum entanglement device that keeps the energy from changing to positive once it crosses over to this universe. This robot was made with battery packs that were designed to run Light World electricity… normal positive energy. But it's being run by Dark Energy that remains Dark Energy once coming over to this side of the realm. And it's this miniature Anti-Moon Pearl that allows it to stay dark energy. You were right LJ."

"What was I right about?"

"That someone caused this. Dark Energy only powers objects that are completely void of positive energy."

'Like what?"

Link frowned. "Like animating skeleton warriors, stone creatures, or these robots, which haven't run for thousands of years. If Ganon is somehow powering them and trying to use them to attack the Royal Family, then we need to find a way to stop him."

LJ rubbed his face and frowned. "Why now? Why not last week?"

Bagu snapped his fingers. "Link, what if _you_ are his beacon? He somehow became aware that you were awoken on this side, and so he would assume that you would see the Royal Family and introduce yourself to them. It's what you know, because that's who you are. And so he somehow sent the dark energy to animate something to attack."

"I can't wrap my mind around this," LJ murmured. "I'm supposed to be the one who is an expert on Middle Aged tech. And you guys are talking about an energy source that can power dead objects. And who is the culprit? A mythological enemy that disappeared so long ago that most of the world doesn't even believe he's real. Am I the only one who thinks this sounds like bullcrap?"

"If you have the moon pearl, Dr. Bagu, I can go into the Dark Realm and stop Ganon again. We just need to trace this energy to see if there is anymore like it in the rest of the world… then we can link that to a gate where I can crossover and put a stop to him once and for all."

"Link…It will take time."

LJ sighed. "I'm going upstairs to see what they're doing. I won't believe in all this mythological crap until I can see positive proof of their existence."

"That's what I'm hoping to do," said Bagu. "We'll have to find where the veil between realms is the thinnest, then find a way to open it. Then, Link, we'll help you in any way we can to attack the Dark World."

"Okay, not that I believe in this, because I don't," said LJ, "But have you guys ever stopped to consider that _if_, and that's a big if, _if this was_ real, and we're stuck between a battle with the goddesses on one side, and the devil-pig, himself, on the other side…and _if_ he was powering those robots with his so-called 'bad-guy' magic…and if this was because he used Link's awakening as a beacon of what to attack…then _why on earth_ would you want to find a gateway to his realm and open it? That's exactly what I would want if I was banished somewhere. I'd want you to open the freaking door for me so I could come through."

Bagu frowned. "But it would prove the mythology is real. Seeing the Sacred Realm for ourselves would be monumental. And, most importantly of all, if the Triforce is trapped in the same realm as a creature like Ganon… it's our duty to liberate the Triforce, and by extension, the goddesses. Besides, boys, if Ganon were behind these attacks, he's found a way to bring these robots to life and attack the Royal Family. Sealed or not, he is still able to fight us in his way. We would have to go and meet him on his 'turf' so to speak, and fight him there."

"I need to clear my head, guys. I'm going upstairs to see how the King and Princess are doing. Plus, she still has my phone and I want to send that picture to my sister. I'll, uh, catch up with you guys soon, okay? It's getting a little too thick down here. I just don't believe in that stuff, I'm sorry. And Dr. B., if you could set up that DNA test tomorrow, let me know what time to come in for the cheek-swab." LJ nodded to them then headed out of Beta lab.

He saw people being moved into body bags, winced, and headed for the stairs. "Dark World, what a crock of crap," he said with a scoff with a shake of his head. "They can't just ask me to suspend my disbelief. That crap just isn't real and they're going to wind up starting or causing a bunch of drama in the long run."

LJ pushed the door open and stepped into the lobby. He approached the large observatory window with a sigh, shook his head then froze. Down in the city, in the distance, he could make out plumes of black smoke rising into the skyline throughout Hyrule.

Smoke billowed out of the top of a skyscraper, one of the older medium height buildings was no longer part of the cityscape. From this distance and height, it was hard to make out many details, but it was still painfully obvious that the capital city was under some sort of attack.

His heart raced. He stared at the city for a few seconds longer then ran towards the security guard at the desk. "Turn on the news, quick. And give me the phone, I need to call and see if my sister is okay!" He reached over the counter and snatched the handset off its base.

The security guard punched a code in on the keypad. A dialtone came over the receiver. LJ leaned over the countertop and dialed the number to his sister's phone. It rang four times then went to voice mail. Then a beep. "Aryll, this is LJ. I'm at the Spectacle Rock Research place. You know, the observatory where I took you on your field trip three years ago. Listen, a bunch of crazy stuff happened here, some good and some bad. I lent my phone to Princess Zelda, I know that sounds crazy, but she said she was going to try getting a hold of you. I'm hoping that's why you're not answering. I just saw that Hyrule is a mess. I'm going to get my phone back incase you try calling me, then I'm going to come straight home and get you out of there. I love you, stay safe, and don't let anyone in the house, okay? I'm on my way." He handed the receiver to the guard. "Where is the Princess? She said she came up here to get reception."

"She's in a mobile security bunker, basically a tank that's out back. I'll show you to the exit, follow me."

"Great, let's hurry. I gotta get home to Aryll as soon as possible."

X

* * *

X

**A/N:** _Okay! So I wrote the prologue and first three chapters last night. I glanced over them this morning only to find that FFnet and FicPressCom were down. Defuq? Weird. _

_So I'm uploading them now. _

_I have no clue where I am going with this story. I do the story boarding, and planning for my original series. But when it comes to FanFiction, I do it to relax. I don't want to think, I just clear my mind, write and see what happens. It's liberating, y'know?_

SO… thoughts? Critique? Flames? STEP RIGHT UP AND SHOUT TO THE HEAVENS. I'm a big boy, I can take the heat. And I try to always be humble, so by all means… let me know if anyone is even reading this thing? Lol

_If you didn't read my notes from before, I'm working on an original story that I wanna publish. It requires me to re-read everything, make notations about what changes I wanna make, or things I wanna add, and then I gotta go back and do a huge re-write. HOWEVER… _

_I go nuts when I can't write…SOMETHING. So, I'm writing THIS while I do my enormous re-read of my original work draft, which can be found on FFnet's sister site, . Same pen name, too. Kit-Karamak with the hyphen.  
I'll have to pull all those stories down once I get them edited and self-published.  
My literary agent said that Penguin made an offer that if I can sell 10,000 copies via e-Reader of all my books combined (and I have 8 stories worth so far), then we can negotiate a book deal. SO! Once I pay for editorial, I'll get the first book down and pull all the draft versions off of FictionPress. MOVING ON!_

_Or you can always throw 50 rupees into the pond of Happiness for me. _

_Today you will have: _

_...Great Luck!_

___So what're your thoughts on this Zelda fic so far? Hate it? Like it? Did you even get this far? Lemmie know! :D_


	4. Family Feels Like Family

Chapter -4-  
_Family Feels Like Family _

_Daruna 2, 2050AD, Midday  
Lanayru Province, Capital City, Hyrule_…

**LJ adjusted the strap** of his satchel. "I know we only just met but I appreciate you coming with me, man."

Link looked from left to right as the two walked briskly up the street together. "The King and Princess were with the Royal Guard. Safe. And when I saw that moblin on the hillside from the window…well, I knew things would be dangerous. Your time is very strange to me. I can only imagine how strange my world must seem to you. I'm the authority on such; I wanted to help. Why are the people of Castletown looking at me so strangely?"

"Link, they were just attacked by creatures that are holding their own against the police...and now some guy in a green and red tunic with a sword and shield on his back is walking down the street. You look like something out of a renaissance festival. What _I_ wanna know is why people are outside of their houses with all this crap going on. Most people hide under their beds. Or, at least, one would think."

"People are curious," said Link. "They want to see for themselves what is happening. There is an ingrained logic for many – your home can only provide so much security. These creatures are outlandishly alien. I'm sure, during the initial attack, they did remain inside."

In the distance, a police cruiser drove through an intersection. As it went through, they could hear the PA announcement, "_Citizens of Hyrule, please stay inside your homes…"_

"That…was a horseless carriage."

"Welcome to the future, Link. Also, we don't call the Capital City 'Castletown.' And then there's the fact that we have handheld communication devices in our pockets that let us access all the information of the world, but all we use it for is to prove each other wrong in arguments, and look at images of cats."

"What a strange place."

LJ's pace quickened, approaching his condominium. He opened the door to the stairwell and led LJ up the steps. "I know I said I wasn't going to let you meet Aryll because it's too soon. But then you helped me fight off a pack of robot creatures, and pointed out a walking bulldog with weapons. Just…don't go kissing her hand. That's just weird for me."

"Not to mention your city was under attack. I endeavor to use modern culturally acceptable methods of greeting. …To the best of my ability, of course. You still shake hands, correct?"

"Yeah. At some point, I'll have to explain fist-bumping." LJ started on the second flight of steps. They made their way to a door with a letter on the center. He turned the knob but it was locked. LJ felt his heart relax. He slid his key in, opened the door and announced, "Aryll, I'm home and I have a friend."

A thirteen-year-old girl crossed the living room and silently hugged her brother, face buried in his neck. In the background, the television depicted various images of chaos from around the city. It showed a news anchor, briefly, then cut to another image of a battle in progress at the gates of the Royal Compound.

LJ rested his chin on her head. "I'm glad you're okay. I'm sorry it took so long. The mag-rail was shut down and we had to walk from Spectacle Rock until we found someone willing to give us a ride. Some nerdy tabletop role playing guy who saw our swords, and wanted to offer 'honorable camaraderie' or something. Brought us all the way into Lanayru, thankfully. So, you got a call from Zelda, Princess of Hyrule, huh?"

Aryll drew her head back and offered a weak smile. "Yeah. That was unexpected. At first I thought it was a joke, but then she offered to do video-chat. Once I saw her face, I recognized her voice and I realized she was the real deal. She explained _everything_."

She looked over at Link then arched her brows. "Wow. You two could be twins. So, LJ, this is what you'd look like with longer hair, huh?" She eased herself from her brother and turned directly to Link. She rewarded him with a hug and a kiss on the side of his face. "Thank you for helping my brother. Zelda said your name was also Link. The clothes are a little strange but I've always liked kilts so…it kinda works for you." She turned about and headed for her room. "So do I pack and we go somewhere safe or are we staying here?"

LJ looked at Link. They both shrugged. He turned back to his sister and said, "We didn't think that far in advance. I just had to make sure you're safe. That was the first thing on my mind. It's probably too dangerous outside. The police are telling people to stay indoors. Link, here, was given special permission to come with me, but at some point, he's going to have to return to the research facility."

"Special permission?" she asked.

LJ cleared his throat, trying to think of a way to word what he had to tell her. "Link is from…uh, well…"

"Honest, as confusing as it is, has always been the best policy," Link interjected, adding, "so please believe me when I tell you that I am being honest with you, Ms. Aryll. I was born in 1654."

LJ turned to Link and tilted his head. "Wait, you're only twenty-one? Hah! I'm twenty-two; I'm a year older than you!"

Link tilted his head in confusion. "Age is not a competition. It is something we cannot control in our lives."

Aryll rolled her eyes. "LJ, you might be older, but you don't act your age very often."

"Yeah? You're the one who is thirteen, acting like a grumpy old sourpuss. You need to act _your_ age more often, kiddo." He offered his sister a slight grin. "So. Yeah. He was put into cryogenic stasis in 1675. He was brought out of it by the archeologists who found him. Yesterday. So let's try not to talk over his head. There's a lot of words and terms and things he hasn't seen before. I don't want to overwhelm him."

"With all due respect, LJ, Aryll, I have seen fantastic, mystical and unexplainable things. A world of technology has rhyme and reason. Ganon's world, on the other hand, was the definition of 'overwhelming.' LJ, it's best you stay here and keep Ms. Aryll safe. I want to investigate the reason for the attack. There has to be some connection. Your time was peaceful, then I'm awoken from my sleep, and the next day there are multiple attacks on multiple fronts. Considering the fact we saw those robots searching for something in that room with the workbenches, my first guess is that these Darkworld creatures may be here searching for something as well. What surprises me the most is that they've kept their Darkworld appearance, instead of adopting a normal look, here in the Light World. They must have a device akin to the Moon Pearl, but from their side, which allows them to retain their Darkworld attributes. Including their strength, size, and thick hide."

"We can figure the details out later," said LJ. "We don't have the authority to just go investigating weird stuff. We have military intelligence and Government think tanks for this sort of thing. They'll determine how those creatures got over here, how the robots were powered up…everything."

"I see. LJ, if they find whatever it is that they're looking for…well, let's just say that Ganon doesn't do anything without having a plan. It is in his nature to plan things out first. Whatever is being hunted for is something that will help him. Whatever helps him hurts us."

Aryll cut in. "You need to be prepared too. Both of you."

"Both of us?" asked LJ.

"Yes, both of you. It took the two of you, together, to keep the Royal Family safe today. You did something that armed guards and a high-ranking military leader couldn't do…protect the King and Princess. LJ, I'm really proud of you for being able to do what you did today. But you would be even better and more prepared if Link, here, trained you how to use weapons, especially the ones you mention in your book. And swords. Things you don't have to reload."

"If you think it'll help me keep you safe."

"It's best we keep her safe," said Link. "In my lineage, my ancestors have had their family abducted and even hunted. Ganon personally sought out my mother and father, razed my prefecture, where I was born, then imprisoned the queen of Catalia. If Ganon is truly behind this series of attacks, he'll know by now that you are involved. He'll assume we are related, whether we are or not, and he'll go after your sister. He'll do everything he can to hurt you, in order to try to break your spirit. If he gets to you, he can beat you."

"That's not going to happen," said LJ, resolve in his voice. "I'd kick his mythological ass right back to his fairytale land."

"LJ!"

He winced and looked over at Aryll. LJ withdrew a rupee and walked into the kitchen. He plunked the rupee into a 'curse jar,' which was a third of the way full. LJ came back out, cleared his throat and said, "Okay. Link, let's move the furniture into the den, then put the guest room blankets up on the walls. How do we protect ourselves from accidentally hitting each other with these swords?"

Link shook his head. "You don't sword fight with real swords. It ruins them. We will learn with weighted sticks. We'll have to find…"

LJ snapped his fingers. "There's a sports store across the street. Close enough that we can all go together."

"The city is under attack," Link reasoned.

LJ grinned in reply. "Obviously you don't know about the corporate world. It's all about making that rupee. Trust me. They'll be open. They sell fencing stuff. I'll have to put it on credit card, though. We can get sparring gear and protective pads and headgear, too."

"Very well, then. Let's move your furnishings, then we can all go there together. The sooner we begin, the better."

Aryll went to the window and glanced out the corner, which faced towards the direction of the street. "You ever get the feeling that this is the calm before the storm? Maybe we shouldn't go."

Link turned to LJ. "Take the sword you brought from the sheath it's in. We'll fashion a makeshift handle for our sword casings, and practice with those instead. I'll also show you how to operate some of the artifacts we brought. From what I can tell, they all still work."

"Alright. Then let's get started. If Ary is right, the storm might hit while we're out shopping. Besides, I've seen enough movies and shows, and read enough books to know that if it's quiet right now…it won't stay that way."

"I'm not quite sure what you mean by 'movies and shows' but yes, I've read books. Story telling is something to keep the reader engaged. This is real life, LJ. Let's hope things calm down while I teach you the basics. Let's also hope that the moblins do not find what they're looking for."

"Yeah, let's hope. Grab that end of the sofa. I'll swing around and you'll back into the den." The boys lifted the couch and moved it out of the living room so they'd have room to practice. "And I hope you're right, Link. I'm not ready to go up against one of those robot things again, that's for sure. I almost got my butt handed to me, and I don't know how to handle myself if I get my shoulder hurt again. I don't know what Zelda did but that was amazing."

"With all due respect," said Link, backing into the den with the furniture, "it would be most respectful to include her title when speaking of her."

"Yeah, yeah. Alright. Let me get some duct tape and I'll break a broom handle, then we'll get started with using the case-thingies of the swords. I just…I think I'm still hopped up on adrenaline or something."

"Let's just hope it stays quiet for now," said Aryll. "I'm not feeling very enthusiastic about seeing one of those creatures up close and personal." She went to the window again and sighed. "Still. Even though we're staying inside, I really feel like the proverbial crap is about to hit the figurative fan, y'know?"

Link removed the Master Sword from its sheath and laid it across the kitchen table. "The two of you speak so strangely at times." He removed the other sword from its case and laid it adjacent to the Master Sword then approached LJ and took a moment to examine the birthmark on his left hand. "I was once torn between my desire to be in control of my destiny, and the comfortably numb idea of relaxing into whatever plan the goddesses may have for me. And perhaps there is a bit of fate and freewill blended into each one of our lives at the end of the day…but there's one thing nobody can deny."

"Yeah?"

Link nodded. "For both of us to meet like this…for both of us, two people from different times, to meet in an enormous world full of hundreds of thousands of people…"

"Billions," Aryll corrected, masking her reply as a cough.

"Then that proves it," said Link. "In a world of billions of people, for two people to meet that look alike, and both have this birthmark…for us to come together and save the Princess and King, and fight together, and consider that we may very well be related…it's obvious fate is at work. As the village elder would say, it's mathematically impossible for us to meet as a coincidence. The conditions were too perfect. I honestly believe, with all my heart, that we're a family. And we should stick together. Because, as it stands right now, you two are the only family I have left."

Link slumped down onto a kitchen chair with a sigh. "You know, yesterday I defeated Ganon. And before that, I was fighting for my life. I didn't have a chance to really mourn the death of my mother and father. And even now, the dust hasn't settled for me…I am using that euphemism correctly, yes? I learned it from Bagu."

Aryll approached Link and wrapped her arms around him. "Yes, you did. I'm sorry about your mom and dad. I know how you feel and I know that, right now, everything is still raw for you. But you have us. I'm a really good judge of character, and I can tell you that you're a trustworthy guy. I promise you're not alone in this whole grieving thing."

Link looked up at LJ who offered a slow nod to show silent approval. Link slid his arm around Aryll and returned the hug. "Thank you, both of you."

"You're welcome," she said, then sighed, resting her chin on his head. She placed her left hand on the backrest of Link's chair then looked over at her brother.

LJ could tell by the look on her face that something bothered her. He followed her gaze to the living room window. LJ crossed the room and glanced out to the street. He was starting to feel it, too. Things were about to get bad. Real bad. He felt the worry and anxiety stirring in his gut. The air felt thick, strange. Even the barometric pressure started to drop at a noticeable rate. He closed the window and slid the lock into place then sighed.

Okay, Link. Let's get started. I need to be prepared because I think Aryll is right. Something big is going to happen and, somehow, I feel like we're going to be right in the middle of it."

"Yes. That birthmark on your left hand…on our left hand…it's a blessing of courage, but it's also a curse that our family has to bare. In my time, it was called the Mark of the Hero. Said to be placed upon us by Hylia to make clear the warrior chosen by the goddesses. In my time, people treated me with respect, not because I'd earned it from a young age, but because they knew that my life would become very difficult. They pitied me for it."

"Curse or not, those things invaded my home town. And I intended to fight back. Ganon is said to want to rule over people, right? That's the mythology we hear growing up. Well, with every conqueror, there is always a resistance. And that's going to be us."

"Well met, LJ. Let's get started."

X

* * *

X

A/N: _Okay! So now we get to see things like Link having feelings. Dude's a genuine person. And we see that they're questioning things that Ganon told Link in the prologue, and wondering about the goddesses. _

_We also get to see that they have some measure of chemistry; LJ was quick to challenge Link in conversation during the last chapter, but now he's starting to see more of himself in Link. And they're starting to trust one another. _

_Plus I'm building more of the world. It's modern, like our own. Sporting stories, credit cards, cuss jars, condos, automobiles, ren-fests… it's all very normal. _

_But what happens when fiction and fantasy slam into science and society?  
I have no idea but I have a feeling we're going to find out in the next chapter! _

_Thanks again for reading! _


	5. Catalyst

Chapter -5-  
_Plot Catalyst _

_Daruna 3, 2050AD late evening  
Lanayru, Hyrule_

**"Hey, wake up. Link? Wake up."** The voice of Aryll brought him from his sleep. He rubbed his face the looked from her to the image of her brother, standing further back with a look of concern on his face.

Link licked his lips. "Wh…was I…?"

"Yeah," she said. "LJ is a pretty deep sleeper, and you woke him up, too. I know this is a sensitive topic but…" she trailed off and drew her lower lip between her teeth. "How do I ask this delicately…"

"Yes," said Link in a soft tone. "I _was_ there when they died. I didn't witness it, but I was close enough to hear my parents call my name. I felt helpless. That won't happen again. Not with the two of you. I'll keep you both safe. I was too naïve and powerless when that happened. I've come a long way since then; you're both safe with me."

"Don't worry about us, Link. We feel safe," LJ said. "We're not worried about that, man. We're worried about _you_. As it turns out, you're a really good guy. And you didn't deserve that crap. And with a little time and effort, you'll have my help. This Ganon-guy got his butt handed to him by you once already. Just imagine going up against two of us at the same time? We'll stomp his..." LJ froze then cut his gaze over to Aryll, cleared his throat, and said, "We'll stop his…hinie…?"

"LJ, he gets it," she said with a dry laugh. She shook her head. "You two'll kick his tail out of his century and send it back to year one." She lifted her left hand, showing Link a bottle of spring water. "Here. It's dangerous to sweat that much. Take this." She held a small towel in her right hand and passed it to him. "And this."

"A hero isn't supposed to show weakness," he said, taking the cloth and the bottle of water. "I appreciate it. I'm embarrassed."

"Nonsense," she replied almost overtop of his words. Aryll smiled. "It's a secret to everybody." She turned to LJ and shooed her older brother away with her hands.

They retreated to their bedrooms, leaving Link alone in the dim living room. He slumped back on the modular sofa with a sigh. The sectional pieces slid apart on the carpet, causing his backside to sink down between them a little bit.

He huffed in frustration then rolled off the couch and pushed it back together. Link approached the living room window and gazed out into the night.

Perhaps the young girl was wrong. It had been a whole night since the attack concluded. He recalled her words yesterday, showing her concern that they were currently living in the calm before the storm. But it had been twenty-four hours and there was still no second attack.

He took a sip from the water bottle then wiped his forehead with the cloth. His mind shifted to other possibilities. "What if that initial attack was for reconnaissance?" The sound of his own voice startled him from his reverie. He walked away from the window and dropped back onto the large couch, careful not to spill his water.

Link's eyes shifted to the weapons against the living room wall. LJ was brave, but needed way more training. He decided that they would start with the next lesson at first light.

X

* * *

X

_Daruna 6, 2050 afternoon  
Lanayru, Hyrule_

**Zelda brought a gloved hand up** and adjusted her pearl necklace. She slid her palm down over her conservative business suit, smoothing a fabric dune over her taut belly. She cut her gaze to her father then back to the Prime Minister, Security Advisor, General of the Army, and the Chief Constable of the Ministry of Defense.

She knew her role in the meeting was to listen and to learn, but she felt frustration well up within her. "Gentlemen." Her voice surprised everyone in attendance. They turned to face her, confusion on their faces. Zelda folded her arms. "Have you all been briefed on the two men, my age, responsible for the rescue at the research facility? I've been doing my own research on the situation, because nobody else seems to pay them any mind. I understand all of you have intelligence divisions. I respect the think tanks that keep our country safe, but these two young men are important variables. If you'll hear me out, I can explain myself."

The king frowned, looked at the group then closed his eyes and sighed. "That was a one time occurrence and a isolated event in all matters of public security."

"Daddy, please. There is no harm is listening to my thoughts on the matter. You've not asked what I think and it's been a week. I have something on my mind, and now is the time to share it."

"Very well," said Gustaf, softly.

Zelda cleared her throat and walked away from the table. She withdrew a data chip from her pocket and slid it into a nearby laptop. A holographic emitter displayed a graphical user interface. She reached her gloved fingers into the image, causing the edges of the image to respond with slight distortion on the edges of the rendered, free-floating display.

She manipulated the interface, located a file then opened several images. "We had a DNA test on both of these men. They're related, but look identical. They could be twins. But the DNA test shows that the man named Link that was revived from cryogenic stasis after being unearthed by archeologists…well…to be blunt, they're approximately four centuries apart. Something in Link's chromosomes, called telomeres, have been measured, showing his physical age to be approximately twenty-one years. Pollen in his clothing has been sent to experts, showing that he walked Hyrule approximately four centuries ago. Every test we've run proves his story is legitimate. And if this is so, it's reasonable to assume two things. One, he is The Hero that is mentioned in Sanctuary School; the very same Hero that we grew up hearing about as children. And if that is the case, it's reasonable to assume he has, in fact, been in combat with the leader of the forces who have attacked us a few days ago. This makes him the authority on this enemy, and it means we should consider what he knows as tactical intelligence. His information may help us to make good decisions."

The Prime Minister lifted his right index finger then said, "Alright. Princess, you did research. I'm not sure I'm convinced that we have unearthed the Savior of Hyrule. Plus, I understand he took that sword with him; the initial tests had very debatable results that border on fantasy. Who knows if those computers were correctly calibrated or…" He paused, took a calming breath, then said, "I agree, however, that we should talk to him and listen to what he has to say. It will be up to our intelligence people to reject or accept what this man has to say."

The General cleared his throat, drawing attention of the group, and said, "Until we determine our next major course of action, we should make defense our top priority. Now, as I said at the security meeting the other day, these creatures showed up at random throughout the city. There is no way of locking down the city to keep them out. Now we think that they could have had sleeper agents already in position. But every report to come in from the police has suggested that these creatures are not Hylian. So that raises two issues. First of all, we have to assume that this wasn't the main attack. They showed up, raised hell," he nodded to Zelda, "pardon my colorful language, Princess," then continued, "It's likely that they were here to test our response times, scout the area up close, and then leave. But last night, I was reading the report about the autopsy on two of the bodies. They're powerful, capable, and dangerous. But their brains are not all that impressive."

The security minister rubbed his chin. "Which raises the question: why send idiots to do recon? Their information would be limited. Perhaps they were testing our response times, and another possibly smarter member was in charge of notating whatever they needed for strategic…"

The head of the police interrupted him. "Minister, we have two bodies, both the same, suggesting that they're some sort of Neanderthal creatures. These troglodytes might have caught us by surprise, but who is to say that there are smarter ranks? They showed up, they raised a fuss, and they disappeared. Their brains are small. Maybe they're a new race?"

"One thing is for sure," said the General. "They left their dead behind. That's not very civilized. They have small brains. However, they wear clothing and armor, they use weapons and put up a fierce fight against trained officers. Let's face it, everyone. These creatures were able to mount an efficient resistance against our people, who are better armed and trained to use tactical procedures. The fact the enemy did so much damage is alarming."

"Aye," the King murmured. "Most alarming. Their ability to circumvent our forces puts the citizens in jeopardy; we need to figure out how to defend them and keep our Ops staff safe."

The General folded his arms. "We have a lot to consider. First of all, this base is one of the most secure places in the city and has the technology to accommodate our needs. We should all remain here. Furthermore, due to timing, it's likely that the robotic attack on the research facility was somehow related. What if we're dealing with a higher intelligence that uses the robots and the dog-faced creatures as some sort of pawns?"

Zelda closed her eyes and drew three calming breaths. "Gentlemen." She licked her lips, trying not to be frustrated with their inability to see the larger picture. "I'm going to seek out Link. Daddy, with your blessing, I'm going to ask him to speak to the head of the Royal Guard and then we're going to lock down the Royal Compound and, using Link's intel on the matter, we will prepare for a second attack according to his input." She turned to her father expectantly.

"Zelda…" Gustaf eyed her for a moment then nodded. "Very well. I'm going to work with these men to keep the city safe. They're educated and have studied recent battles and wars from throughout recorded history. That's knowledge that rulers from Link's time wouldn't have had, provided you're right in your belief that he is from the Middle Ages. Could you get started on putting palace security measures in place using Link's experience? Also, keep Link's apparent descendant safe, and his immediate family. If Link sees these people as family, the enemy will move to capture and use them against him. I want the whole group locked down at the Royal Compound, and this is the _last_ I want to hear on the issue until further notice. You keep the Royal Compound safe. My duty is to the rest of the city and the public."

"A wise suggestion, Sire," said the Prime Minister.

"Don't patronize me," said Gustaf to the Prime Minister. He moved around the table and fixed the man's tie. "And stop anxiously fidgeting with your tie in my presence. I know we don't always see eye to eye, but right now we're on the same side. On all issues. We have to work together without any sarcasm or chiding remarks."

"Very well. Needless to say, I agree wholeheartedly that you put your daughter on that task, and leave the public to the rest of us."

Gustaf narrowed his gaze. "The Royal Family has secrets and treasures that we hold in the highest regard. I'm not sending her '_home_' to '_guard the house_.' The security of the Royal Compound is something I take seriously. Zelda is capable of leading the Royal Guardsmen in my absence." He turned to his daughter and added, "I understand they are at the Kasuto residence, not far from here. Take soldiers, escort the Kasuto family to the Royal Compound, and lock it down. And, if Link still has the Master Sword, have him put it into the pedestal in the sacred Cathedral in the Temple of Time. If it fits, contact me immediately."

Gustaf turned back to the group and added, "That pedestal has a slot for a blade, but somehow repels other objects from being inserted. It's one of the Ancient Royal Family's most guarded locations. We still, to this day, keep guards stationed at the egress. It's a great honor to protect that temple. If that boy can put his sword into the pedestal, I'll take him serious. Now…" He turned back to Zelda. "I will stay in contact with you every four hours – no exceptions. Every four hours."

She leaned up and brushed her lips against her father's trim-whiskered face. Zelda whispered something in his ear then nodded to the rest of the group. She walked to the exit and put her palm on a plate by the door. The Princess leaned in and hovered her face over a scanning device. The security door slid open. She left the room. It slid shut again with a hiss of air pressure.

Zelda withdrew her personal network communicator phone. The encryption software flashed a ready prompt on the screen then she dialed a number. A moment later, she said, "Priority connect; I need emergency access to the citizen phone database. Zulu-Echo-Lima-Delta-Alfa. Security code is Hotel, Hotel, Oscar, Foxtrot, t'ree, four, t'ree, seven, Golf, Whisky, Tango. I need an immediate priority connect to civilian household registered under Link Josiah Kasuto. If it doesn't answer, I need the call to go through to the personal phone registered to him."

She continued down the hallway through the secured complex. Each time she passed a state actor guard, they saluted to her. She nodded in return, listening to the phone chime. After a moment, a male voice answered.

"Is this LJ?"

"Yes, who is…?" He sounded winded, took a moment to catch his breath, and added, "Wait…I recognize that voice. Is this Zelda, Princess of Hyrule?"

"It is. Pardon my intrusion. I had to pull your number from the security agency. I know that's illegal, but this is an emergency, and with all due respect to your privacy, national security outweighs the situation here."

"I…yes ma'am. How, uh, can I help you?"

"Is Link with you? And are you two okay? You sound like you're panting."

"Yes ma'am, we're practicing. He's teaching me how to fight the way he does. What can we do for you?"

"The three of you are requested to accompany me at the Royal Compound until further notice. I would like Link's help to protect the Royal Compound. Also, we wish to extend our umbrella of protection over you and your sister. The DNA test came back – you're related to Link. Not just related, but a direct male heir descendant. I understand he concluded that his uncle might have had a family. But it appears that he is your seventeenth, or possibly eighteenth great grandfather. Our testing is accurate to within three generations. But you are a direct descendant for sure. There is no doubt about it."

"I…okay. What do we do?"

Zelda switched the phone to her other ear. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"That was a really big knowledge bomb you just dropped on me. What's that weird noise in the background?"

"I'm on an encrypted line. You're not. You might hear some of the software distortion. Listen, I'm on my way to you. I'm bringing a security entourage. From your home, we're headed directly to the palace. Gather all your belongings. Clothes, computers, whatever you think you'll need. I'll make arrangements for whatever you can't carry. Let's hope this is resolved quickly, but we can't assume anything at this point. We need you three to stay until this situation is completely resolved. You'll be guests of the Royal Family and stay in our security bunker with me. Bring anything you consider irreplaceable, just in case. Family heirlooms, anything you want to keep safe. After all, LJ, you're directly related to The Hero of Legend. I believe he is who he claims to be. And you've rescued me; your most prized possessions are prized by the Royal Family, so please… pack everything you can. We consider heirlooms extremely important in this family, after all."

"Noted. I appreciate it. I'll see you when you arrive. We'll be ready. Uhm. I do have one heirloom that my parents considered a prized possession, but it's not here at home. We keep it in a safe deposit box. Does that count?"

"We'll retrieve it on the way back to the Royal Compound, LJ. Whatever it is, it could be important. Do you know what it is?"

"Some sort of ring we've been passing down since who-knows-when. Thank you, your highness."

"See you soon."

X

* * *

X

_Daruna 6, 2050, mid-evening  
Hyrule Royal Palace_

**Link stepped back from the **pedestal and bowed to Zelda. The Master Sword stood majestically from the platform, secured within the slot.

"Outstanding," said Zelda. "I cannot wait to tell my father at our next phone conversation. Link, is it true that this pedestal is the oldest remaining man-made construction left in the world?"

"As I understand it, yes," he said with a nod. "But it would be wise to confirm it with Dr. Bagu. Did you know that the castle of Hyrule has changed locations? The original was right here. And it guarded the Temple of Time and this very pedestal. But the King felt that having the castle and town so close to the Master Sword brought attention to its resting place inside the Temple of Time. So the castle was rebuilt a ways away. And the original castle was flatted, and an intricate forest was planted around the Temple of Time. It became known as the Lost Woods. In my time, it was a treacherous, overgrown area that was far too dangerous to get through. It was sealed with pendants, magic, and other artifacts. In the end, the person seeking the sword had to be able to traverse the Sacred Lost Woods, bring artifacts, read an inscription in the old tongue, and be related to me by blood. Only then could this sword be withdrawn from this pedestal."

Zelda smiled warmly. "This castle was built to protect this area, and the Temple of Time was restored to its former glory fifteen years after the end of our great war, a century-and-a-half ago. We didn't know the forest was considered sacred. So the woods were used to rebuild homes for the people of Hyrule, because Kakariko and other nearby towns had all been wiped out and burned to the ground during the war."

"Heartbreaking." Link frowned.

"It's the reason we plant a tree on the corner of every intersection, to give back to the land that gave us new homes after the war."

"I wasn't clear, your highness. I meant that the loss of people's homes and their livelihood was wiped out. The thought of that is heartbreaking."

"Ah. Yes, well, we weathered that storm and now Hylians are living at the technological height of our civilization. And with any luck, we will never plateau. We will only ever achieve greater enlightenment, and understanding."

"I like that you're such an optimist." He turned to LJ and Aryll then waved them forward. "I want to test a theory." He turned back to Zelda and motioned to the Master Sword. "Please, Princess, try and remove it?"

She put her hands on it and pulled. The sword remained securely in the pedestal. Link then waved over the nearest guard at the entrance of the temple. "Please, sir, try and remove this sword."

The guard tried with all his might. He strained hard but could not remove the sword. Link clasped him on the shoulder. "It's alright. I believe it is technology related, or some sort of magic that keeps it in place." He then turned to Aryll. "Miss Aryll…would you like to try?"

"M…me?"

"If the research done by her highness is accurate, you are my direct descendant. You should be able to pull it out, as well as your brother. Humor me?"

"Yes, of course, Link." Aryll put her hands on the sword and tried to lift but it wouldn't budge. "I…it won't work."

"Don't give up. Keep trying."

She bit her lower lip, took the sword in her palms firmly, and opened her stance. She lifted with all the strength she could muster. The sword began to slide upwards from the pedestal, little by little. The guard swallowed, eyes wide. Zelda folded her hands, impressed.

Aryll lifted the handle above her head. The tip of the blade only barely cleared the pedestal, due to its length. She stumbled but LJ was right behind her, to help her keep it steady. "Heavy, huh?"

"Gosh yes, it's very heavy." She passed it to LJ.

LJ lifted it up then moved it to his left hand. "Heavy, yeah. But I feel like the sword kind of lifts itself, does that make sense? What about you, sir? I'm sure you're trained in swordplay. Does it feel like it's heavy but lifts itself for you?"

The guard reached out for it. He wrapped his fingers around the handle and the blade went straight to the floor. He ground his teeth together, taking it in two hands, but couldn't wield the sword, only drag it on the floor. "It's so heavy, I'm surprised the young lady got it out of the pedestal!"

LJ furrowed his brows in confusion. He took it from the guard and lifted it up in his left hand. "I'm a righty, and I can lift it. What on earth? I wonder if you could lift it with the Power Glove artifact?"

Link shook his head. "It's not a matter of weight. It's designed to somehow be attracted to the ground as if magnetic. But in our hands, the magnetic property is reversed."

"May I?" asked Zelda.

LJ passed her the handle. She struggled with it but was able to keep the blade aloft. "It's too heavy to use in combat. I don't know how you boys lift it single-handedly." She carefully eased it up above her head. "But I can certainly lift it to some measure."

Link eyed her for a moment then rubbed his chin. "I wonder if we're somehow related?"

The soldier cleared his throat. "She's the only person that I've ever seen who has magic. Most people scoff at the notion but…she has it."

"I found that out," LJ said with a chuckle. "Yup. Definitely found that out when she healed my shoulder."

Zelda held the blade in her hands, and the handle in her other. "I know, I know… I shouldn't touch the blade. It should remain oiled. Here." She turned to Aryll and handed to her. "Take it by the handle, young lady."

Aryll carefully took it in both hands and lifted it up. She grimaced from the weight of it but managed to shake it about more so than Zelda could. She then turned it about and handed it, handle first, to Link. "I wish I could understand how that works."

"It just…does," he said with a soft smile. He twirled it in his hand with ease, then slid it into the sheath with a satisfying click.

"Link, how did you scuff your case so badly?"

"I used it as a practice weapon, your highness. Sans sword."

"Mercy me. I'll have someone repair that for you." She gave a tug at the hem of her business suit blouse. "Let us retire for the evening. I've given the order to lock down the compound, so we will not be able to leave. Is that clear to everyone?"

"Yes ma'am," LJ said.

A soldier ran in through the entrance archway at the far end of the temple. "Princess Zelda!" He came to a stop, doubled over, hands on his knees, panting. "Princess Zelda, there has been another attack."

Her eyes widened. She leaned forward, nearing the exhausted man's face. "What happened?"

"Your mother's caravan was attacked and she was taken prisoner but we cannot find any trace. Eyewitnesses said the bull-dog creatures took her and the entourage away in irons. Chains and large metal cuffs. Our forces tried to pursue. The enemy passed through a bridge underpass and disappeared, as though completely gone." He took a deep breath, then said, "We went to tell your father. The military base where you saw him last has been decimated. We had no idea. Everything inside the walls has been scorched to ash. We located the King almost immediately. The body is being brought back for the Royal Doctor to confirm. I…I'm sorry, your highness. Your father…The doctor is receiving him now to confirm."

Zelda swallowed. All at once she was business. She turned to the second guard. "Stay with these three. See they are safe and well. Ensure the word is out that their every need is met." She turned to the page and placed her hand on his shoulder. "Escort me to the medical wing of the palace immediately. I wish to see these remains for myself."

"I…yes, of course, Princess. But the doctor is performing an autopsy, now might not be the best time to see the remains of…"

"Immediately. I can handle whatever it is that I see. Have you seen the body?" They began a brisk walk across the Temple of Time, their voices echoing in the large stone room.

"I was on location when he was found, your highness. The communication network is down. I was sent to personally warn your father. When my squad reached the base, we were surprised to find it destroyed. I had my team take the body to the palace and hurried ahead to find you. All communicators are down. Landlines, mobile phones. We have radio and satellite phone, but you have to be outside for them to work." They left the temple together.

Link looked to LJ and Aryll with a frown. Aryll swallowed down a lump in her throat then brought her hands to her face and wept softly. Link ground his teeth together. "They assassinated the King. This cannot stand. We need to prepare, then we need to find a way to traverse the gate they use to attack this realm. We need to go there and lay siege to it. The problem is, we'll need the Moon Pearl to go there. And there's only one. Perhaps a twin can be fashioned, but there's no way to create enough to take a military presence there. Certainly not a battalion. At best, a squad. And that's only if we can find someone who can copy the technology of The Ancient Ones to create more than one Moon Pearl."

LJ balled his hands into fists. "How did they attack an entire military base without anyone else knowing? Now what do we do?"

The guard who had struggled with the weight of the Master Sword said, "We should head down to the bunker. If an attack has happened on the Queen and the King, a hundred and forty miles apart, then they were targeted. And everyone with them, it seems, was given the same consideration. All of us, her highness included, will have to be locked down."

"You're dungeon will have to be deep enough that they will never find her," Link said. "I should check on the Princess. Can you get LJ and Miss Aryll to safety? I'll join when the Princess has had a moment to process her loss."

The guard nodded. "It's the building across from the temple with a red crescent moon on the front and a large drop of blood at the bottom. The bunker is the deepest place in Hyrule, and the deepest personal bunker in the world. It's over two kilometers below the surface."

"Kilometers?" Link eyed the man. "I'm not familiar with that unit of measurement."

LJ gave Link's arm a firm pad. "From here to the Royal Compound gate."

Link's eyes widened "It's that deep? Impressive. Go, all of you. I'll bring the Princess."

The guard led Aryll and LJ out of the temple. Link followed them out and headed across the way to the medical building. He went in through the front entrance and approached a young lady at a desk, who seemed busy trying to operate a switchboard to no avail.

"Madam. I am here for the King and Princess Zelda."

She looked up, eyes wide. "Oh my heavens. You're him. Word around the palace is that you're the Legendary Hero. Everyone is talking about it. The Savior of Hyrule! You're…" She stood up, placing the headset on the switch panel. "You're handsome. I…I wanted you to know that I believe you're real. I've always believed in The Hero and The Evil One. You know, some people are saying this is the end of times. That attack…I saw one of those creatures. A bulldog that walks like a person. I saw one. You always show up in the world's time of need in all the legends."

"I…the legends are based on my ancestors. Only one is attributed to me. I need to get to the King and Princess. Have you heard anything from other soldiers throughout the realm?"

She pointed to the switchboard. "It's dead. We can't contact anyone. The network inside and outside the palace is completely down. No internet access. We can't even receive televised signal to see what's going on outside the compound. We're completely cut off."

"Please, madam, the Queen was reportedly abducted, and the King was reportedly assassinated. They may be targeting the Royal Family members. I need to get to the Princess and keep her safe."

"Yes...Yes, of course. I'm sorry. Follow me." She came out from behind the desk and said, "I'm Habuta. I don't handle the idea of the end of the world very well. Follow me." She led him down a nearby hallway. "My superior was with the Queen. Her name is Impa."

Link followed her down the corridor. "Uncanny the similarities between my time and yours. Impa was Zelda's personal caretaker and tutor in my time."

"It's a popular name in the Royal Family's extended circle," said Habuta. "This way. We're almost there." She took a staircase down. The hallway smelled like rubbing alcohol. She guided Link to a set of double doors. "The switchboard is useless, anyways. I'll stay here; I can't handle the thought of seeing the King right now. Not dead – I can't…I just can't stomach it."

"Very well." Link walked through the left side of the double swing-doors and into a sterile smelling room. He opened a door at the end, leading into the morgue.

He saw Zelda, trembling with emotions, opposite of the doctor performing the autopsy. A guard moved to intercept Link.

"Leave him alone," Zelda said, her voice breaking. "I will vouch for him."

"Aye, your highness." He stepped back from Link.

Link came around the table, recognizing the left side of the King's face. The right side was indescribable. Link immediately looked away out of respect and gently touched Zelda's bicep. "It occurs to me that your parents were targeted. We should go underground immediately, incase you are next."

Zelda took a step away from the autopsy table then suddenly launched herself into Link's arms, weeping hot tears against his neck. She hid her face against his collarbone, sobbing uncontrollably, to the point of causing herself to hyperventilate.

Link sighed and rested his chin on her head. He wrapped his arms around her. He wanted nothing more than to keep her safe and ensure her survival.

He reached down with his left hand and lifted her legs up. She kept her face in his neck. Link carried her out of the morgue. "Sir," he said to the nearby guard, "Stay here and protect the King's body. Where is the next posted guard? I'll need them to escort us to the…"

"Sir, I am assigned to the Princess. The guard for the King's body is through those doors," said the man, pointing at a door on the far wall. "I'll take you both to the bunker. We need to consider the fact we're at war. I've been trying to get the Princess underground. I have another man in the hallway."

Link followed the guard out into the hall and saw the soldier from the Temple of Time, ten minutes ago. They nodded to one another. He fell into step with Link, Zelda and the guard from the morgue. The coterie headed back out of the hospital with the nurse from the switchboard, Habuta, in tow.

The group of five crossed the courtyard. The ground trembled beneath them. Link glanced over at an impressive fountain, currently deactivated, but filled with water. Ripples in the water caused Link to narrow his gaze. "That's no quake. Look at the fountain," he said as the group passed it. "Those rings in the water are from footsteps."

"Footsteps?!" said one of the guards. "That's absurd. It could be from…"

No sooner had they spoken of it, an enormous creature kicked in one of the Royal Compound walls, sending reinforced concrete blasting in all directions. It trudged through the rebar mesh and stomped into the courtyard.

The enormous monster seemed to be made of stone or a similar material.

"Have mercy! It's some sort of golem!"

The creature reached down and smacked the guards aside, killing both instantly. Habuta dove away and remained flat on the ground. The creature reached towards Link and Zelda. Habuta got up and made a beeline for the guardhouse at the far corner of the compound, shouting for all hands to help.

X

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A/N: _Oh noes! Zelda lost her family, the guards are overwhelmed and ill prepared, and now a thirty foot tall monster is attacking! _

_It's time for a BOSS BATTLE! We rarely ever get to see boss battles in video game FanFictions. So! Time to write a larger-than-arena scene. Let's tear up the whole Royal Compound in chapter 6, shall we? _

_It's already finished. I just gotta re-read it and post it. So! We finally get to see what propels the plot forward…the death of the King, and Ganon's second preemptive attack. Oh, yes, I know, the chapter title was 'so' clever. Heh. Anyways._

_How do you like the story so far? Have any thoughts? Anything you wanna see?_

_Someone suggested that I add a "Steampunk version of Link" from one of the "forgotten times of Hyrule History" …If enough people like the idea, I think I might add'em. Thoughts?_


	6. Boss Battle

Chapter -6-  
_Boss Battle_

**Zelda wiggled about** in Link's arms. "Put me down," she told him. "It's after me. If it kills you, then all hope is lost; let me go, Link!"

"Link!" The voice belonged to LJ, by the entrance of the main Palace building.

Link ran towards LJ with Zelda in his arms. The creature swung at him but narrowly missed. Link got to the steps of the palace and eased his arm out from beneath Zelda's legs. He saw Aryll in the doorway up ahead. "Go with LJ's sister, and go into the bunker. I will join you soon!"

"No! You're our last hope!"

"No, _you are_! I will fight that creature; it's my job. YOUR job is to lead the people if the Queen ends up like the King. The lady from the hospital said all the leaders of the land were on that base. That means there is nobody left! You…_you_ are the leader, now. Now, please, with all due respect, GO!"

Zelda swallowed and clenched her hands into fists. "We will find my mother and avenge my father together but…for now…"

"PLEASE!" Link erupted, pointing back at the creature tearing apart the courtyard. "Before that thing comes after you!"

Zelda headed up the stairs. Filled with adrenaline she scooped up the thirteen year old Aryll like an oversized toddler and ran into the palace. Habuta followed them to safety.

LJ pulled the hookshot out of his satchel and tossed it to Link, who quickly equipped the gauntlet to his left forearm. "What do you want me to do? Take them inside or help you?"

Link looked around then back at the three-story monstrosity. He pointed to the guard armory. "Find something in that building and bring it to me. Something capable of taking this creature down!"

"Got it!" LJ hurried towards the armory. The monster swung at him, trying to hammer him with an enormous fist. LJ saw the shadow on the ground due to the large floodlights all around the palace grounds. He dove out of the way at the last possible second, then got back to his feet and continued on towards the armory.

Link withdrew the Master Sword and hurried towards the creature towering over the courtyard. He pointed the hookshot upwards and fired it. The grapple launched into the air and struck the side of the stone creature but didn't penetrate its thick stone-like hide. It fell back to the ground and began to retract just as it met the cobblestone courtyard path.

The creature swung at Link. He jumped up, ran along the monster's arm then dove off, into the grass, and rolled away from it. He got back to his feet and turned around, eyeing the being. A weakness didn't immediately present itself.

Again it swung at him. The large fist struck the ground, sending cobblestones in all directions. Link jumped up onto its arm again, but this time he drove the Master Sword into its forearm and held on tight.

The three-story golem lifted its arm again then looked around, as though searching the ground. Link held on for dear life from the handle of his sword. The creature lifted its arm high in the air. He fired the hookshot at the head, below him.

Surprisingly, the grapple disappeared into its head with a good grip. The retracting mechanism pulled him down from the arm with his sword. He crashed upon the monster's granite crown with a grunt.

Dazed and momentarily confused, Link sat up atop the creature's head. The wind rustled his hair and chilled his face. He pinched his eyes shut, shook his head, then crawled forward and peered down over the creature's eyes and nose.

He drew his sword and drove it down into the golem's eyes, expecting to be thrown from it. But the stone monster remained unfazed and seemed to continue its search along the ground for a target. Link gave the sword a firm shake, up and down, left and right, then pulled it free of the granite eye. He looked at the blade, relieved it was unharmed, and then sat up and looked around again.

The large creature went towards the palace and slammed its arms down, obliterating the front wall. Link held on for dear life, so as not to fall from the head. It stormed forward, marching right into the elegant palace. Everything happened quickly. He felt his body roll…

Link sat up with a grunt on a carpeted floor. The wall of the elegant guest room had crumbled away. He stood up, able to see out over the compound walls. The glow of orange fires consumed a part of the city in the distance.

The palace shook. The floor groaned. He made his way to where the wall and floor had a large hole caused by the creature's flailing arms at the time of impact. He looked down to the ground, four stories below him. He tried to think of how he could have wound up higher, on the fourth floor, but it all had happened so fast that logic failed him.

He remembered the wise man that trained him, telling him that during battle, sometimes things could become confusing and disorienting. Link took a deep breath and blinked his eyes several times. His senses returned.

The palace trembled again. It quaked so hard that he stumbled to all fours. Link scrambled to his feet, through a door to a beautifully decorated hallway and looked around.

The palace shook again. A thin layer of plaster dust came down from the ceiling. A glob of blond stuck to his forehead, marred in sweat. Link took off down the hall. At the end of the hallway he found a stairway and hurried down two steps at a time.

On the third floor he hurried out into the hall. He expected to see the head of the creature but it was nowhere in sight. The third floor had no facing wall, designed to overlook the lobby. The railing was missing, however, and a section of the floor had collapsed already from where a support pillar had been knocked down.

Link dove over the hole to the other side and ran up the hall then peered over the side but couldn't see the creature. He ran up the hall and found another stairwell then took it down to the first floor. He came out on the far end of the enormous once-elegant lobby and hurried through.

He followed the devastation, leaping over chunks of debris. Water sprayed from a pipe up ahead, flooding the marble tiled floor. From the left, the water was cold. On the right side of the enormous gap made by the creature, scalding hot water gushed freely. Link hurried through it, using his hands to protect his face from the heat of the spray.

He dashed through a dining area. The table was in splinters. He followed the hole in the wall, through a kitchen, and out into the loading dock around back.

The adrenaline in his blood made him notice every detail with sharp clarity, including the stench of rotting food in the dumpster at the end of the alleyway. Up ahead, he saw the creature in the back yard, its foot stuck in a manmade water trench.

Link quickly glanced around, checking his surroundings. He pointed the hookshot up into the air and fired the grapple into a deck on the third story on the back wall of the palace building. It pulled him off the ground at a rapid pace. He climbed up onto the side of the deck, no longer able to smell the dumpster behind the kitchen.

He got up onto the rail then leapt off the side and landed on the creature's head again, using his sword to grab purchase on the granite body. He struggled down onto the creature's shoulder and jammed the Master Sword into its neck. A large section of granite flaked away, leaving a large gap in its neckline.

"LINK!" The voice came from far below. "LINK, get off that thing!"

Link gazed over the side then jammed his sword into its throat again, taking out another chunk of stone.

The creature jerked its leg free of the trench then pivoted back towards the palace. Link, off balance, tumbled backwards.

In the back of his mind, he felt his boots brush against the creature's back as he kicked wildly in a free fall.

On instinct, he held his left arm out and closed his fingers in on the hookshot triggering mechanism. The grapple found purchase on the side of the palace and pulled him back up before his body could hit the ground.

He struck the golem in passing then hit the wall, hanging by his left arm, several stories from the ground. Link hung there, dazed again, watching the golem stomp around in the middle of the yard.

A soldier, besides LJ, fired something from a gray tube. A flash of light preceded a rocket, which launched from the weapon. It flew past the golem, arced around, then struck the rear right shoulder of the living statue.

The explosion blew the right arm from the golem's body. The shockwave sprayed debris at Link, pelting him with stones and dust. He looked down at the arm lying in the grass, motionless.

The soldier adjacent to LJ began to load another round into the strange looking weapon tube. The guard pointed it at the creature but didn't see the other arm swipe horizontally, bowling over the soldier and LJ.

Link felt his heart leap into his throat.

LJ, down on the grass, climbed out from beneath the guard's broken body, causing Link to sigh in relief. He picked up the surface-to-air shoulder-mounted weapon, trying to figure it out.

With a groan, Link reached up and began pulling himself along the outer façade of the palace. He put his foot against the wall, dislodged the grapple and pulled himself back onto a third-story balcony.

In the yard, LJ thumbed a button under a plastic cover. The round burst from the tube and blowback scorched the grass, leaving a mark in its wake. LJ stumbled to the ground.

The image-rec guided missile lanced upwards then came about in an arc, same as before, and struck the golem in the center of its lower back. The hip section blew away from the body and the legs shattered. It collapsed to the ground and began to pull itself through the yard with its one remaining arm.

Link shot the grapple into an adjacent third-story balcony then swung out beneath it. He put his feet on the palace wall and pushed off of it then released the hookshot gauntlet. He flew through the air and landed upon the creature's head again.

Seeing the concussive force of the blast had hurt it, he decided to change his method of attack. Link shoved his hand into his pocket and withdrew two golden medallions then held them against the handle of the Master Sword. He lifted the sword up and jammed it into the creature's head.

The first of the two medallions, the quake medal, sent a shockwave throughout the golem from the inside out, that shook it to the core. The second golden metal, the bombos medallion, caused every joint of the being to explode at the same time. It burst into flames then exploded.

LJ threw his hands over his head to protect his face. The stone statue shattered into thousands of pieces and burst apart. Link fell from the head, now only a story high because of having its waist and legs blown off earlier.

He landed on his back in the grass, arms outstretched, with the Master Sword in his left, and the medallions at his side. LJ ran over to him and started talking to him. Link could hear the concern in his tone, but nothing made sense, shell-shocked from the landing.

"Dude, Link, you okay?!"

He smacked his lips together, unable to speak. His lungs hurt, having had the wind knocked from his torso. He formed words with his lips.

"I can't…wait, what? Just wait, your breath will come back in a moment." LJ helped him to sit up then leaned him over, then eased him back again, trying to help him work his torso muscles to help Link's diaphragm. "Zelda and Aryll went down to the bunker with some lady. Snap out of it."

Link found his voice, finally, which felt like an eternity. "Are you sure they made it?"

"I can't believe I'm going to say this but…have faith. C'mon, let's go get underground, too. Can you walk?"

Link pointed up to the hookshot dangling from the bottom of a third story balcony.

LJ frowned and nodded. "We won't need it in a bunker. We should get down below. I heard from soldiers in the armory that the rest of the city is under siege ten times worse than last week's attack. The two of us, alone, can't take on several golems made out of gold and granite."

"There's…more than one?" he gasped, trying to get a lung-full of air.

"Yeah. And a report came in that there's a giant spider, also made out of gold and stone, which is making its way through downtown Hyrule. They called it something weird."

Link frowned. "Gohma?"

"Y-yeah, I think that's it, actually. What is it? They said it's as big as the thing we just fought, but with eight legs."

"We can't fight them all alone."

"That's what I'm saying. Let's get underground!"

"This is an invasion," Link said with a sigh. He got to his feet and examined the Master Sword then slid it into its sheath.

The two walked back into the palace. They saw a guard, alive, but trapped beneath a beam. LJ and Link moved with a sense of purpose and lifted it off of him, careful not to hurt him further. They discarded it onto the floor a foot away. "How do you get down to the bunker?" asked LJ.

"Follow me…and thank you, gentlemen," said the guard. He limped but seemed otherwise unharmed. They made their way out to the lobby. A statue that was half-broken off the pedestal was in the middle of the floor. The guard nodded towards the base and, with the help of LJ and Link, pushed it to the side to reveal a staircase. They each headed down under the floor. A moment later, the base of the statue slid back into a place with an obnoxious scraping sound from the minor damage to its tracks.

They hurried to an elevator. Link and LJ followed the guard onto the lift. He used a key code and a magnetic swipe card to activate the elevator. It began to descend into the shaft.

"What was that thing out there?" asked the soldier.

"Trouble," said Link. "Usually the dungeons I've had to fight my way through are run by a type of boss of the keep. This is the first time I've seen an enemy that large out in the open. Other than explosive forces, he seemed otherwise invulnerable to attacks." Link paused then asked, "LJ, what did you used to destroy it?"

"You're the one who destroyed it. I just injured it. Anyways, yeah, some kind of RPG, man. Nevermind, you don't know what those are, do you?"

"Afraid not. That is modern technology?"

"Yup. We blew that thing apart. And to think there are several more just like it…that's sobering."

"Yes, indeed it is. We need to lick our wounds and figure out a plan of action. Princess Zelda cannot lead her people if there are no people left to lead."

"Yeah. God, I can't believe you fought a boss with a sword, man. That thing was crazy. You ballsy bastard." He bit the center of his top lip then leaned back against the elevator siding and laughed inspite of himself. "Don't tell Aryll I cuss. I'd be out of rupees in a hot minute if she knew. I feel better that we're gonna be so far under the ground, though."

"Hmm…I'll feel better when we know that the Princess and your sister are safe."

"Have faith," said LJ. "Never thought I'd say that in a million years. But I've got a good feeling. I've seen you fight twice, now. If you really are The Great Hero, and I really am related to you, then I have no qualms about feeling cocky that we're going to get through this damn mess."

"We're going to need help," said Link. "Ganon laughed in my face and said I'd never completely destroy him because he's too powerful to fight alone. Perhaps he was right about that. I brought him down hard and it seems that he's still alive. That's concerning to me, but…I have an idea. Thing is, it's a bit strange; non-conventional."

"We're fighting insanity, man. Goddess-damn insanity." LJ sighed and shook his head. "Sorry. I didn't mean to… Not trying to be a Debbie-Downer. So, what's your plan, Link? _Please_ tell me it involves more people that can fight like you."

Link grinned weakly and favored his shoulder with one hand and arm with his other. "You're not far off the mark, LJ. We still have access to the Temple of Time. The rest of it is beneath the Royal Compound. There is technology located there that may allow us to travel to the past and find the rest of our ancestors. Then, we can bring them here, together, to repel Ganon's forces."

"Wouldn't that create a temporal paradox?"

"A…what?"

"In sci-fi shows 'n movies, changing the past and future at the same time and meeting yourself or different versions of yourself somehow changes things that mess up time and cause the world to end."

Link arched his brows in confusion, staring at LJ for a moment.

"What, man?"

With a shake of his head, Link said, "You and I have now met. I'm from the past. You're from the future. And my plan is to find a way back to my time so I can live out my life. Yet the world never ended."

"That's debatable," said the soldier. "Haven't you looked outside?"

"That's different," Link said. "That's an invasion."

LJ rubbed his chin. "You might be right. But how do you know it'll work?"

"It has to." Link frowned. The elevator continued to descend the shaft. He leaned back against the wall with a frown. "It has to. We'll talk it over with the Princess and consider all our options. But…to me, it seems like our best course of action. I just hope it works."

With a nod, LJ said, "Boy this is going to get weird if it works."

"Quite so. Thank you for your help with that golem creature."

"Yeah, no problem. We kicked that boss' ass, didn't we? We make a beast team."

"Again, you have such a strange way of speaking, LJ. I'm still getting used to your odd figurative euphemisms."

"Yup. So we're really going to try and get versions of _us_ from various times throughout history? I mean, you know… ancestors or whatever? I'm going to meet my great grandparents from throughout history? God I hope this works, because right now just talking about it sounds bat-shit crazy."

"LJ…"

"It's fine. Aryll isn't here to hear me cuss."

"Indeed. You still shouldn't let it become a habit. At any rate, things are going to get harder from here on out."

"Hard_er_?" LJ replied with a dry chuckle. "Great. So looking forward to _that_. To hell with it. Bring it on. If I was meant to die, I'd already have done it, right?"

"Perhaps. Thank you for the help, LJ."

"No problem. Let's talk to the princess and my sister first. Maybe we can even enlist more help. Princess Zelda will know _somebody_ to help us, I'm sure."

"Perhaps." Link folded his arms. "We can hope."

"Wait, we're not going to get _stuck_ in the past or anything, right?"

Link offered a wan smile. "We can hope," he repeated.

X

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A/N: _HAHA, BOSS FIGHT! :D Gotta love doing boss battles in novel form! xD_

That was fun. Will have to do another some time! OKAY! Now we know what's going to happen in this story! We're going to create an army of Links from various times throughout history, after they'd already completed their own personal quest, and are at their absolute strongest. The only hard part will be getting back to the pedestal of the Master Sword in each part of history. Maybe it's best they avoid the part of history where Hyrule was at the bottom of the OCEAN, huh? Lol


End file.
